Hopkins student kills intruder with samurai sword, police say

[shira]

Originally posted by: Kanalua
FTA: "The student who wielded the sword remained in custody while investigators worked to corroborate his story with evidence and witness statements." Later "Guglielmi said it is legal to possess a sword in Baltimore, and "individuals have a right to defend their person and their property."

WTF? You can protect you property and person, but you might have to spend some time in police custody if you do so? he should be at home, not in some city jail...

So your point is that the police should just assume that the facts of the case are as the student stated them? It's not possible, for example, that the unarmed burglar was NOT attacking the student, but the student decided to take a slice out of the guy anyway?

Why do they call you guys "righties" when you're invariably wrongies?

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
This guy may have a tough sell on self defense. With a sword I would think you would have to prove the attacker was coming after you personally with a deadly weapon, just catching some guy in your house and hacking him up with a sword (especially if he is unarmed)is probably not going to cut it

It shouldn't fucking matter. Should the home owner have to walk up and ask the guy if he is armed and what his intentions are?

No. But if the burglar raised his hands and said, "Sorry, man. Guess I picked the wrong house," and turned and began walking away, the use of deadly force WOULD be a felony.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
This guy may have a tough sell on self defense. With a sword I would think you would have to prove the attacker was coming after you personally with a deadly weapon, just catching some guy in your house and hacking him up with a sword (especially if he is unarmed)is probably not going to cut it

It shouldn't fucking matter. Should the home owner have to walk up and ask the guy if he is armed and what his intentions are?

No. But if the burglar raised his hands and said, "Sorry, man. Guess I picked the wrong house," and turned and began walking away, the use of deadly force WOULD be a felony.

Not in ~30 states that have adopted the Castle Doctrine. Whether that's right or wrong I'm not saying, simply stating that in a majority of states you could come out of your bedroom to find a hobo asleep on your living room couch and be legally allowed to use deadly force.

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: Kanalua
FTA: "The student who wielded the sword remained in custody while investigators worked to corroborate his story with evidence and witness statements." Later "Guglielmi said it is legal to possess a sword in Baltimore, and "individuals have a right to defend their person and their property."

WTF? You can protect you property and person, but you might have to spend some time in police custody if you do so? he should be at home, not in some city jail...

So your point is that the police should just assume that the facts of the case are as the student stated them? It's not possible, for example, that the unarmed burglar was NOT attacking the student, but the student decided to take a slice out of the guy anyway?

Why do they call you guys "righties" when you're invariably wrongies?

If he is in your house with ill intent he deserves what he gets.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: piasabird
This burglar (Supposed Burglar) had like 29 priors for stealing break-ins, and grand theft auto. Do you really think it was self defense. He broke into a house with the intent to commit a crime. This person was a career criminal and the courts would just slap him on the wrist. He should have been rotting in jail.

Guglielmi said the suspect had 29 prior convictions for crimes such as breaking and entering, and had been released Saturday from the Baltimore County Detention Center after he was arrested by county police in August 2008 for stealing a car in Baltimore. Rice was found guilty in December on one count of unauthorized removal of property, and he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

God forgives, but piasabird does not.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider

Originally posted by: JohnOfSheffield

Originally posted by: Hayabusa Rider

Originally posted by: dali71

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
This guy may have a tough sell on self defense. With a sword I would think you would have to prove the attacker was coming after you personally with a deadly weapon, just catching some guy in your house and hacking him up with a sword (especially if he is unarmed)is probably not going to cut it

The intruder lunged forward and it would be reasonable to assume he was trying to take the sword and use it against the home owner.

All of you in this thread that think a sword is a better weapon for defending your home than a firearm are nuts.

I guess it depends on the sword...

And the situation. If the intruder is already pointing a firearm at you, then he has the advantage, but the same would be true if you weren't aiming at him with your own.

If he hasn't drawn, then that's another matter. A practiced swordsman could eviscerate someone before most could point a weapon. With a good sword, there is no such thing as a near fatality.

Actually, all you do is get too close for them to use it, put your left arm under his right arm and your right arm around his neck (elbow to neck, push, grab around), hold on and fall...

Getting close enough isn't automatic. You won't find many records of successful hand to sword battles in Japanese history. I am practiced with the sword though, and I admit that someone waving one about isn't in the best of positions.

The problem is that you must move your sword pretty damn fast and be able to actually gain some momentum which leaves you with two options, around to the side while turning which would probably be the best idea, but chances are you won't get that far if the one who is defending aginst it knows what he's doing.

I do agree that a sword (or a machete) is a very lethal weapon, i still prefer a shorter blade, preferably ny own. 😉

I am just such a sucker for body contact. 😀

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
This guy may have a tough sell on self defense. With a sword I would think you would have to prove the attacker was coming after you personally with a deadly weapon, just catching some guy in your house and hacking him up with a sword (especially if he is unarmed)is probably not going to cut it

It shouldn't fucking matter. Should the home owner have to walk up and ask the guy if he is armed and what his intentions are?

No. But if the burglar raised his hands and said, "Sorry, man. Guess I picked the wrong house," and turned and began walking away, the use of deadly force WOULD be a felony.

Not in ~30 states that have adopted the Castle Doctrine. Whether that's right or wrong I'm not saying, simply stating that in a majority of states you could come out of your bedroom to find a hobo asleep on your living room couch and be legally allowed to use deadly force.

I didn't know this. However, I read the Wikipedia article on Castle laws, and it's a lot more complex then simply stating, "If they're illegally in your house, you can kill them." In most states, there has to be a "reasonable" expectation that the intruder is about to inflict injury or is about to commit a felony. If the intruder raises his hands and turns to go, neither of those expectations is reasonable, and the use of deadly force would be a homicide.

 

[cubeless]

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: Zorba

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
This guy may have a tough sell on self defense. With a sword I would think you would have to prove the attacker was coming after you personally with a deadly weapon, just catching some guy in your house and hacking him up with a sword (especially if he is unarmed)is probably not going to cut it

It shouldn't fucking matter. Should the home owner have to walk up and ask the guy if he is armed and what his intentions are?

No. But if the burglar raised his hands and said, "Sorry, man. Guess I picked the wrong house," and turned and began walking away, the use of deadly force WOULD be a felony.

Not in ~30 states that have adopted the Castle Doctrine. Whether that's right or wrong I'm not saying, simply stating that in a majority of states you could come out of your bedroom to find a hobo asleep on your living room couch and be legally allowed to use deadly force.

I didn't know this. However, I read the Wikipedia article on Castle laws, and it's a lot more complex then simply stating, "If they're illegally in your house, you can kill them." In most states, there has to be a "reasonable" expectation that the intruder is about to inflict injury or is about to commit a felony. If the intruder raises his hands and turns to go, neither of those expectations is reasonable, and the use of deadly force would be a homicide.

you just need to be sure that you get them before they turn to go in most states... it seems that in tx you don't even need to get them before they are hoofing it the other way...

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: fleshconsumed

Originally posted by: Kanalua
FTA: "The student who wielded the sword remained in custody while investigators worked to corroborate his story with evidence and witness statements." Later "Guglielmi said it is legal to possess a sword in Baltimore, and "individuals have a right to defend their person and their property."

WTF? You can protect you property and person, but you might have to spend some time in police custody if you do so? he should be at home, not in some city jail...

You missed the following part: "But the police spokesman said he was not in a position to comment on whether it was appropriate to use a sword, baseball bat or other means of defense." Article also implies attorney's office is considering pressing charges. Screwed up if true. What does it matter what you defend yourself with?

In Baltimore I'd consider it appropriate to protect yourself with anything up to and including a low yield tactical nuke.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: K1052
In Baltimore I'd consider it appropriate to protect yourself with anything up to and including a low yield tactical nuke.

That would certainly make parts of Baltimore much nicer.

I avoided Johns Hopkins for undergraduate because Baltimore is a shithole and will be avoiding it again for grad school. I will not live in an area that is a block or two from the ghetto, like my school is now.

 

[Fear No Evil]

This person should be given a medal.