Brief Notes
Brief Notes
When I opened this thread, I honestly didn't think this story would go anywhere; I had followed a link that made the typical joke about racism and perceptions of threat, I saw the incident date, I figured this would be something I updated in a couple weeks with an "official report" summary and link ....
Anyway .....
I do have a question regarding Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground, and other notions of self-defense:
In Texas, the answer is, "Yes". Some might recall the case of Joe Horn, a man who defied a 911 dispatcher's instruction to stay inside during a suspected robbery of his neighbor's home, shot the robbery suspect, and then claimed self-defense after deliberately confronting the suspect. A jury acquitted Mr. Horn of any wrongdoing.
George Zimmerman is heard on the 911 recording complaining that suspicious people (i.e., black people wearing sweatshirts) always get away; shortly after, he defies the 911 dispatcher's instructions to stay where he is, pursues Trayvon Martin with hostile intent, and then shoots him dead in "self-defense".
Thus, what seems an obvious question. Is it self-defense if you deliberately pursue a confrontation?
Brief Notes
When I opened this thread, I honestly didn't think this story would go anywhere; I had followed a link that made the typical joke about racism and perceptions of threat, I saw the incident date, I figured this would be something I updated in a couple weeks with an "official report" summary and link ....
Anyway .....
I do have a question regarding Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground, and other notions of self-defense:
If you deliberately place yourself in harm's way, then can you properly claim self-defense?
In Texas, the answer is, "Yes". Some might recall the case of Joe Horn, a man who defied a 911 dispatcher's instruction to stay inside during a suspected robbery of his neighbor's home, shot the robbery suspect, and then claimed self-defense after deliberately confronting the suspect. A jury acquitted Mr. Horn of any wrongdoing.
George Zimmerman is heard on the 911 recording complaining that suspicious people (i.e., black people wearing sweatshirts) always get away; shortly after, he defies the 911 dispatcher's instructions to stay where he is, pursues Trayvon Martin with hostile intent, and then shoots him dead in "self-defense".
Thus, what seems an obvious question. Is it self-defense if you deliberately pursue a confrontation?