Wednesday, July 20, 2011

IA: Congressman, grandson fight off armed intruder: "An eight-term congressman from Iowa helped fight off an armed man who invaded his farm house in Decatur County and attacked his daughter .... after hearing his daughter's screams, the congressman 'entered the walkway of their house and immediately went for the guy's gun and was wrestling with him' .... While the two scuffled, Boswell's grandson Mitchell grabbed a loaded .12-gauge shotgun from a nearby room and confronted the intruder, who then fled into the surrounding field and reportedly was still on the run."


WA: Man not charged for death in Park shootings: "The man responsible for a death in a Lake Sammamish State Park shootout last July acted in self-defense and is shielded from prosecution under state law. King County prosecutors and investigators said a then-21-year-old Renton man gunned down Justin Cunningham, 30, amid the July 17, 2010, shootout. Investigators also determined that Cunningham shot and killed Yang Keovongphet, 33, before the Renton man killed Cunningham. Ian Goodhew, deputy chief of staff for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, said investigators relied on forensic evidence from firearms used in the gun battle and bystanders’ interviews to re-create the chaotic moments in the park at about 9 p.m. on a Saturday, just after sunset. Investigators determined Cunningham pulled a gun as a disagreement between groups picnicking in the park escalated into a fistfight. Then, gunshots ruined the calm night. “When you’re getting shot at, or your friends or your group people are getting shot at, then you shoot back, it’s in self defense,” Goodhew said.


Cloudy self-defense rights in Canada: "As it now stands the private individual when taking action against what appears to be a threat to them or to their property stands a good chance of being charged with one or more crimes under the criminal code. Clearly there is a need to have this section of the criminal code revised. To do that, there is now an effort in Ottawa to reintroduce Bill C60, the Citizen's Arrest and Self Defense Act. The intent of this act is to ensure protection from prosecution for homeowners and those acting in self defence. It's long overdue. Until this or some other legislation that clarifies all this is put into law, as a firearm owner the question one is faced with is that when prowlers are detected on one's property, does one pick up a firearm before investigating?

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