Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cadre.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!mcnc!idis!cadre!geb From: geb@cadre.UUCP Newsgroups: net.legal,net.politics Subject: Re: NYC subway hero Message-ID: <130@cadre.UUCP> Date: Wed, 2-Jan-85 15:58:47 EST Article-I.D.: cadre.130 Posted: Wed Jan 2 15:58:47 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 4-Jan-85 00:48:25 EST References: <121@cadre.UUCP>, <387@crystal.UUCP> Organization: Decision Systems Lab., Univ. of Pgh. Lines: 51 Xref: watmath net.legal:1181 net.politics:6553 > it seems to me that a person > with a gun should be able to dissuade someone > with a screwdriver from robbing > him/her without killing four people, > unless the four were real idiots and > persisted in their attack even after the gun was produced > and perhaps even after one or more them were shot. This is great from your armchair, but unfortunately, once the fireworks start you get awfully excited and even police officers who have had a lot of training find it a little difficult to contain themselves. An unprovoked deadly threat was produced by the (sharpened) screwdriver wielders, at that point the one threatened had the right to respond with deadly force. True, they might have left him alone, once they saw the gun, but then again, if he wavered, they also may have tried to surround him and he could have easily been killed, four against one, even if he did have the superior weapon. Should he just have submitted? Well, usually they don't kill the victim if he has enough money on him, but then again a lot of times they do, just for the hell of it. If he could safely put them out of action, that would be the safest course. > If such disregard for their own life was indeed displayed, > then of course the man was justified in responding as he did, > but I doubt if the police would be after him if such were the case. Yes, I'm sure the police would then just say "run along..." > Of course you may feel that muggers deserve to die, ... It isn't a matter of whether they deserve it or not. There isn't time to try them on the street. If you think your life is in danger, you have to make your move. > Would you applaud a driver who deliberately rammed a car > that cut in front of his own, even though s/he could avoid it? > Taking the law into one's own hands is *not* commendable. It's never ceases to amaze me, the incredibly inappropriate analogies people think up! The proper analogy would be: would you applaud the driver who rammed his car into a motorcycle whose occupants were threatening him with a shotgun if he didn't pull off the road! Yes, I would. Would the police go after him? I'm sure they would.