Pull the Trigger

United States
August 8, 2009 2:58pm CST
Would you shoot someone (if you had a gun) if there was an intruder in your home? This seesm to be something ideal for some people, as they are willing to go to extremes to protect their homes and their families. Yet, it could be a problem if the intruder survived, as he could actually sue! That doesn't make sense does it? Here is a smilar story I heard that does not include being shot, but it just as bizarre anyway..... A thief was attempting to break into a home on the second floor at night and did not realize on the roof there was a sun roof of some sort not competely finished and it was partially tarped. He fell through the roof, injuring himself, and he sued the home owners and won for bodily damage. How is the heck is that justified??
3 people like this
10 responses
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
8 Aug 09
This is one of those stories that demonstrates how sick the law has gotten in many countries. Decisions like that make me wonder just where we are heading. Unfortunately, this is not just an isolated case. Many years ago, a worker in Australia defied a no smoking sign at his place of work. After warnings, he was sacked. He sued the company for "wrongful dismisal," and won, because they only gave him verbal warnings, but didn't give written notice, which by law they were obliged to. He was awarded AUD200,000. To me, also a wrongful court decision. In the case you stated, princess, the law-breaker was probably better off financially after the court settlement than he would have been if his break-in had been successful. It's a crazy world we live in!
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Aug 09
You had brought up a seriously good point (and undetected point that I had not thought of)-what if that criminal I mentioned in the post actually cased that house, knowing he could get hurt? Maybe he has a friend as an attorney who offered to support him in court and actually encouraged this as a pre-meditated crime! It is sick-the whole story is unfair for the home owners and shows people are just evil and willing to go to extreme lengths to break the rules and still try to get a head.
1 person likes this
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
8 Aug 09
So what you're inferring is a conspiricy theory between a criminal and a lawyer. The criminal, knowing he has to go through some personal suffering to gat financial gain, deliberately falls through the room in order to sue the home owner. That sounds like a good plot for a novel, princess.
1 person likes this
• United States
8 Aug 09
Strange you say that, because I love to write! LOL Maybe I will get to making a story of it. But yes, could you imagine if such a plot was planned and indeed in fact work? No wonder some of the best criminals in the world are actually at a genius level. LOL
1 person likes this
8 Aug 09
The people should have put forward a counter-claim for breaking and entering. I would shoot the leg or arm and tie him to a chair until the police come. I think stealing is something quite inexcuseable.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
Thats pretty funny but amusing. I couldn't imagine that a thief that was trying to break in to a house and injuring himself had won the case like that? I think his lawyer is a good one and tried to reverse the things like he is not a thief and was just over the sun roof because he was chasing his cat. Or maybe the jury were too stupid to bring out this kind of decision?! I don't really know
• United States
23 Sep 09
It's quite comical with a disturbing twist to it. And yes, people must be able to get their hands on a great lawyer who can defend them and get them the winning side in court. Makes me wish I would have taken up breaking and entering as a hobby or even a career. I could have been set by now. LOL
@lala501 (1532)
• United States
9 Aug 09
I would not shoot them. I would call the police. But first I would find a hiding spot. Now if they find me and try to attack me than I would shoot them. They would be crazy to intrude in your house.
• United States
9 Aug 09
Yes, they would be crazy to intrude, wouldn't they? But seriously sometimes nothing will stop people from doing things like this. I think I would rather jump out of a eindow and run to the neighbor's house as opposed to staying inside while a strnager is in my home. You never know what their mtives are, and if they are just wanting to hold you hostage or something.
@lala501 (1532)
• United States
16 Aug 09
Yeah you've got a good point.
@kathorxe (43)
• Philippines
9 Aug 09
How come he won the case? He wouldn`t be injured if he didn't attempt to break in on the 1st place. I don`t think we can call this justice.
• United States
9 Aug 09
That is exaclty what the point of the story is-why it happened in the first palce and how the heck was it fair to the people who owned the home. Not only did the guy win, but they had to repair the damages caused by him.
8 Aug 09
Ive seen a lot of news stories similar to that and i honestly think the world has gone mad sometimes, if this guy hadnt of been breaking the law that accident wouldnt of happened, so its his own fault really and it served him right for trying to break into someones home. In answer to your question about shooting an intruder, if i felt that either mine of my daughters life were in danger then i would do it without hesitation, but obviously its something that i would try to avoid at all costs and would be a last case scenario.
1 person likes this
• Canada
9 Aug 09
My husband and I talked about this, and we would have no problem doing whatever we needed to do to defend ourselves, if something like this were to happen. He has been to war, and knows how to kill a person, if that person is going to kill him first but ONLY if that person is threatening us with harm, and invading our house uninvited and trying to rob us, definitely qualifies.
• United States
9 Aug 09
Yes, you would think that it should be justified right? But it seems to me that in some situations, the robbers have just as many rights in defending themselves as the innocent homewonsers do! It really puzzles me how one can break the law and sue, and yet still get a settlement out of it. I think this is one of the most "hairy" laws there are-allowing robbers to sue when they are entirely at fault from the get.
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
8 Aug 09
really, the stupidity of the court system... if he hadn't been on the roof he wouldn't have fallen thru
@chi2nasrin (1101)
• Malaysia
9 Aug 09
I would. At first I would just try to scare him away, if he still wouldn't go away and then try to lay a finger on me, I will shoot.
• United States
9 Aug 09
if someone broke into my home i would due whatever i could to protect myself and my loved ones. and its kind of crazy that a thief could sue you when that person broke into your home.. these days and times nothing surprises me anymore