# At what point does an intruder become a risk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 1, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039 "2004-05-01T21:18:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MMI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@MMI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MMI)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039/21 "2004-05-04T12:23:00Z")
> [@Snakespirit](#): > > Not in Great Britian. An armed robber has more rights than an armed homeowner. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039/22 "2004-05-04T14:04:37Z")
MMI, [this](http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/content_objectid=13267437_method=full_siteid=50143_headline=-MARTIN--I-WILL-FIGHT-CROOK-FEARON-EVERY-STEP-name_page.html) is probably the case most people know about. Tony Martin, armed homeowner, shot and killed one intruder, and wounded the other during a burglary. Mr. Martin was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, eventually that conviction was reduced to manslaughter, he served 3 years. Now, the wounded burglar is suing him for damages, and apparently getting public funds to pay his lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039/23 "2004-05-04T14:28:55Z")
Sounds to me like a perfectly good reason to simply kill anyone you find in your house without permission. If they survive, they might get lawyers. :rolleyes: I’ve suffered two home invasions in my life. Got beat up during one; the other was a simple burglary, during which I was not home. Nowadays, I have a family. You can see where my perspective may be a bit skewed, here, but I still try to be reasonable. When someone enters my property, I’m certainly attentive. I will examine the person and try to determine their intentions, and I will try to deal with them in a civilized manner, unless they are [Jehovah’s Witnesses,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=155187&highlight=witness) in which case I will run them off as quickly and efficiently as possible. After all, most strangers who enter my property are simply trying to sell me something, and I may well want to buy band candy or Girl Scout cookies. …but as has been mentioned once already, if you try to get into my house, you’re looking for trouble. And if I make you aware that I am in here, and you keep trying to get in, I will assume that you are armed and mean mayhem, and I will treat you accordingly. If I have to go to prison to keep my family safe, well, so be it. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039/24 "2004-05-04T14:37:17Z")
> [@Drizzt Do'Urden](#): > > I live an an apartment complex, and every once in a while (since the numbers on the apartment doors are barely visible) someone will accidentally open my door. However, if that person did not immediatly explain their actions of get the hell out of my home, they would be facing the business end of one of the 25 or so kung fu weapons that line the walls of my apartment. What about your scimitars? I’d only pull a gun if someone was inside my house, or if someone was especially aggressive outside my house. Even then, I’d only shoot if it seemed warranted (and outside my house, that would only happen if I couldn’t get inside). I’d rather not ever have to kill someone, but I’m ready to do so if it’s needed. Someone in [Dallas](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4782634/) recently shot a burglar who broke in around 1:00 a.m. A follow-up story (that I can’t find now) said that charges were filed against the homeowner. [Here’s](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4846906/) a story of a New Jersey homeowner charged with 1st-degree murder charges for shooting someone breaking into his shed. It pays to know the laws in your state. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039/25 "2004-05-04T14:38:38Z")
Correction. NO charges were filed. Someone in Dallas recently shot a burglar who broke in around 1:00 a.m. A follow-up story (that I can’t find now) said that **no** charges were filed against the homeowner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-what-point-does-an-intruder-become-a-risk/243039.md?page=1)