Purse-snatcher begs police to save him from armed citizen
Via reader ELB, comes this:
Butler chased after the accused purse snatcher. who took off running and ended up asking a police officer for help.
“He displays a weapon and it scares the suspect,” said a deputy on the scene. “The suspect runs up the police car and saying, ‘Let me in. They are shooting at me’.”
For the record, I think it’s generally a bad idea to chase a robber like that. And, if you wind up shooting him, it’s also likely hard to defend in court.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Even when it’s a black boy stealing from a white woman in Texas?? Come now…
November 4th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
A white punk stealing from a black woman would have a hard time in Texas.
They tend to treat criminals of any color harshly.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Did you not hear about the case in Olive Branch, Mississippi (south of Memphis, just over the state line) last week? Man hears his mother scream from the garage. He goes outside, wearing only his underwear, and sees a kid with a shotgun aimed at her as she’s getting out from her car. (She just got back from shopping.) Kid decides to bolt instead of robbery, forces mother from car and takes off.
Man jumps into his car, where he also has his pistol. (He has a carry permit.) Gives chase up busy street and they trade shots for three miles, crossing into Tennessee. Kid finally gets hit and swerves off road. Man forces him out and to lay on the ground. Shotgun is left in car. Kid keeps trying to get back up and then starts to run away. Man shoots him in knee. Police and news choppers arrive.
Shelby County prosecutor the very next morning decides not to prosecute the man. The kid faces aggravated assault for pointing his shotgun at the man and carjacking. DeSoto County Mississippi is still deciding.
The kid, of course, is from Memphis. He’d just been released weeks earlier from juvenile.
November 4th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Under current conditions in the judicial community it would be hard to defend your actions in court against a citizen hostile prosecutor. However, if stories like this happen often enough the average head in the sand citizen will start to notice he is safer and the bad people are not so brazenly displaying their predations. When that happens juries will be refusing to convict a citizen for doing exactly what he should do on a voluntary basis when the situation arises. We are charged with the same responsibilities to the law as are the police. We just are not charged with making a full time paying job out of it.
That concept, of course, is out of favor and has been for most of a century, but fashion doesn’t dictate our duty. Nor the duty of those who would pillory the protective citizen for upholding the law and apprehending the criminal for the police.
Perhaps we are all just a little too hip. We are so cool, modern, and in tune with current fad (though a long lasting fad) that we are no longer free or men.
November 4th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
A thought here Uncle. Have you noticed the primary reason you think this not a good idea is because of the fear of retribution by the authorities?
What the Hell kind of society have we fashioned when our fear of the police and courts is greater than our fear of criminals?
November 4th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
I guess the police DO “protect and serve”.
November 4th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
True, Unc, but you have to like it (including the story from Memphis/North Miss, where I spend a little time).
Good point, Arrow.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:02 am
I’ve known for years that the greatest threat to our liberty is the organized criminal syndicate that is the federal government.
When will you realize this? Is it better to resist tyranny when you have the firearms, bullets, and money to do so – or when they are pushing you onto the cattle cars…
November 5th, 2007 at 7:57 am
Chasing and shooting at a criminal might or might not be hard to defend, but it’s damn sure heart-warming to read about.