Someone answered your first question. I'll answer your second. In many US-states, if a convicted felon (barred from owning a gun) uses a gun in self-defense (s

Someone answered your first question. I'll answer your second. In many US-states, if a convicted felon (barred from owning a gun) uses a gun in self-defense (say defending against an intruder) they can still be charged with illegal possession. In fact, even more stringent, say their spouse used the gun, and the felon had access to it, they can be charged with what's called constructive possession of a firearm.