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Your last line is the bit I've never been able to understand. If someone is running from you, do you have any legal argument for killing them?

suneilp 9y ago
What if they have stolen your property. Do you not have the right to get it back by force? Does the value of the property matter? If so, who gets to decide that in the moment?
- icefo 9y ago
  If you live in Texas you can use deadly force if "the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means". Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-9-42.html http://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-9-42.html I've read but couldn't find again the story of someone shooting a tief to get back his VHS player and walk free.
- chillydawg 9y ago
  You have zero right to kill someone for stealing.
  - technofiend 9y ago
    In Texas you may make use of your weapon to stop the execution of a crime if you yourself are not also engaged in criminal activity. It's far larger than castle doctrine because it applies anywhere. I'm not arguing for actually using the law to shoot people: I don't ever want to be in that situation myself, but I'm saying depending on the situation you do in fact have the law on your side.
- rocqua 9y ago
  The value of the property does not matter. They do not pose a lethal threat and therefor cannot be shot. At least, that's how it should be, I don't know legally.
Filligree 9y ago
It gets much harder to argue, but you'd have a case if they were, for example, running back to their car to get weapons. I'm sure you can think of a hundred other scenarios as well. That isn't normal, though. It's likely that you were already feuding, and so the law will look askance at you for not bringing authorities into it much earlier.
dec0dedab0de 9y ago
what if they stole your laptop that contains a new branch you havent pushed to a remote yet.
- technofiend 9y ago
  No jury would convict.
rocqua 9y ago
Never say never, but it would be very rare for a fleeing person to pose immediate threat. Examples would be people running for a gun, running to get help, running to kill someone else, or running for cover. I think all of those cases are covered by any imminent threat clause, and thus do not need special exemptions. Just like there isn't an exemption that you are not allowed to shoot a retreating person. It simply follows because (with exceptions) retreating people aren't imminent threats.

suneilp 9y ago

What if they have stolen your property. Do you not have the right to get it back by force? Does the value of the property matter? If so, who gets to decide that in the moment?

icefo 9y ago
If you live in Texas you can use deadly force if "the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means". Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-9-42.html http://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-9-42.html I've read but couldn't find again the story of someone shooting a tief to get back his VHS player and walk free.
chillydawg 9y ago
You have zero right to kill someone for stealing.
- technofiend 9y ago
  In Texas you may make use of your weapon to stop the execution of a crime if you yourself are not also engaged in criminal activity. It's far larger than castle doctrine because it applies anywhere. I'm not arguing for actually using the law to shoot people: I don't ever want to be in that situation myself, but I'm saying depending on the situation you do in fact have the law on your side.
rocqua 9y ago
The value of the property does not matter. They do not pose a lethal threat and therefor cannot be shot. At least, that's how it should be, I don't know legally.

Filligree 9y ago

It gets much harder to argue, but you'd have a case if they were, for example, running back to their car to get weapons. I'm sure you can think of a hundred other scenarios as well. That isn't normal, though. It's likely that you were already feuding, and so the law will look askance at you for not bringing authorities into it much earlier.

dec0dedab0de 9y ago

what if they stole your laptop that contains a new branch you havent pushed to a remote yet.

technofiend 9y ago
No jury would convict.

rocqua 9y ago

Never say never, but it would be very rare for a fleeing person to pose immediate threat. Examples would be people running for a gun, running to get help, running to kill someone else, or running for cover. I think all of those cases are covered by any imminent threat clause, and thus do not need special exemptions. Just like there isn't an exemption that you are not allowed to shoot a retreating person. It simply follows because (with exceptions) retreating people aren't imminent threats.