Use of deadly force

[DJM]

Think of it this way.Everything you own,possibly even your freedom is attached to the bullets in your gun.Is that worth stopping someone from breaking into your car?


DJ

[Robinhood1]

Even if you get no billed its gonna cost you from 15 to 30 grand in lawyer fees if its a car a deductible is way cheaper if someone was in your house then go to work with that pistol just my .02 cents and its probially worth less

[NelsonV]

A new car will be cheaper than the court cost.

But not near as exciting!!!

[NelsonV]

I'm guessing if you just opened the door and popped a few rounds off in the ground that would forever take care of the issue. It's most likely the same group/gang that runs thru your neighborhood. They don't want to get shot over a car either.

[Cam-Mac]

Good question OP, and some great answers so far.

[Hunter75]

I've noticed on this topic that someone always brings up the "cost of civil lawsuit ", I remember in my CHL class we were told Texas protects us from civil suit, if we are justified in shooting someone that there will not be a civil case. Please can someone with knowledge on this clear this up.

[GTRH8R]

Send them my way and tell them they can steal my car, I need a new one.

I also would call the police instead of running out of the house pistol in hand. You never know what you are walking into. You are also leaving the relative safety of your home to chase down bad guys, which a jury might not see as self defense.

[chadreed88]

Thanks for all the advise. I know just letting steal whatever they want while watching seems appealing to some because you can pay a deductible and have it replaced. To me it's about property protection and letting these crooks not keep getting away and possibly next time target the house. I'm not saying that for 100% I would shoot at them but you can bet that I will not sit inside and watch someone take what belongs toy family that we've worked for. Thanks again hope it never happens but at the rate things are going around here and a sheriff that is worthless I must decide what is legal if it comes down to it

[GTRH8R]

Thanks for all the advise. I know just letting steal whatever they want while watching seems appealing to some because you can pay a deductible and have it replaced. To me it's about property protection and letting these crooks not keep getting away and possibly next time target the house. I'm not saying that for 100% I would shoot at them but you can bet that I will not sit inside and watch someone take what belongs toy family that we've worked for. Thanks again hope it never happens but at the rate things are going around here and a sheriff that is worthless I must decide what is legal if it comes down to it

It is a tough call. There is a law firm in Houston that kind of does a pre-paid legal thing for this kind of situation. Walker, Rice, and Wisdon, P.C. The program is called Texas Lawshield. They have a 24 hour hotline for if you have used your weapon in self-defense to tell you what to do, say, and all of that stuff. Look it up.

[Chasin Bacon]

Thanks for all the advise. I know just letting steal whatever they want while watching seems appealing to some because you can pay a deductible and have it replaced. To me it's about property protection and letting these crooks not keep getting away and possibly next time target the house. I'm not saying that for 100% I would shoot at them but you can bet that I will not sit inside and watch someone take what belongs toy family that we've worked for. Thanks again hope it never happens but at the rate things are going around here and a sheriff that is worthless I must decide what is legal if it comes down to it

You could hold them at gunpoint until the sheriff arrives.

[kparker158]

Just shoot them in the knee. Then pee on them in your front yard until the cops get there.

[gmengers]

Blast away. They will eventually stop coming.

[duckmanep]

you'll be the next Zimmerman from Florida, and your fate will be in 12 goof balls on a jury that already have their mind made up that you were shooting in revenge of someone stealing your car.

[ZackM]

It is a tough call. There is a law firm in Houston that kind of does a pre-paid legal thing for this kind of situation. Walker, Rice, and Wisdon, P.C. The program is called Texas Lawshield. They have a 24 hour hotline for if you have used your weapon in self-defense to tell you what to do, say, and all of that stuff. Look it up.

I actually use them and have spoken with a few of their attorneys about this very question in the past. Their point of view is that, while they will do everything in their power to defend you after such an incident, there is a very high probability that you will absolutely lose in a civil court over this. Criminally, you MIGHT be OK with the right jury and yada yada yada. But civilly, you could lose everything.

More to the point though, it's just stuff. Is there really anything that you own that would ever justify killing another human being?

Of course, this is a question that we all must answer for ourselves individually. I support anything that any of you do within the confines of the law. But, for me, I have insurance for a reason and I will gladly pay a deductible to not have blood on my hands.

Someone posted earlier that everything changes after you kill someone. This couldn't be more accurate. Talk to some of the guys who have been overseas in the past 11 years.

[Twztid]

Only advice is drop them as in "dead" if not Wayne wright or some lawyer is gonna be knocking on your door.