# Definition of a felon **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734 "2017-11-26T04:40:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/61 "2017-11-27T19:37:40Z")
On the other hand (as has also been pointed out) you can personally believe whatever you want and call whatever action you find irredeemable anything you want, including a felony. I personally believe that all homicides should be considered murder, but I understand that many (most?) do not share my belief and that the American Judiciary system also does not. So when discussing such topics as killings here on this board and elsewhere I have to be careful to be clear in my word choices. So, if you choose to call something a felony or someone a felon, and that idea is not backed by the courts, you have to remember you are in opinion territory. mc ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/62 "2017-11-27T19:41:49Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > By the legal definition, unless they are tried and convicted the action they have taken is not a felony. > > If I shoot and kill someone I have not committed a felony. If I am never charged, then all I’ve done is committed a killing and can be called a killer, but not a felon. If I am charged and found not guilty I have, again, not committed a felony No facts are being changed; I’ve still shot and killed someone I’ve just not committed a felony, and am, therefore, not a felon. > > This has been pointed out numerous times in this thread, why is it so hard to understand? Just because you, or many you’s, believe an action meets the criteria to be called a felony doesn’t make it so. Here in USA an action is not a crime unless and until a judge, jury, or similar authority deems it so. > > mc Yeah, this is basically what I come around to in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/63 "2017-11-27T19:43:20Z")
> [@mr\_horsepower](#): > > - as a long time lurker, I’m used to seeing links come up differently than that. I’ll have to work on how to do that. To get a piece of text to act as a hyperlink, highlight the text (the word example in your case) using your mouse (right click and hold while you go over the text) then click the Icon in the toolbar above the message that looks to me like a globe with an infinity sign. This will cause a dialog box to open up, into which you can paste the url of the web page. finally preview your post to make sure you did it right. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/64 "2017-11-27T21:17:11Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > To get a piece of text to act as a hyperlink, . . . [continuing side-track] Not sure how **mr horsepower** got that link to look like that, but I’ve seen it happen here several times. Alternatively, you can do-it-yourself by typing: ```auto [noparse][[/noparse]text to be linked here[noparse]]( _____insert_URL_here_____ )[/noparse] ``` And yes, always preview, including actually clicking on the link to see that it really works. [/continuing side-track] ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/65 "2017-11-27T21:26:09Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > To me, “felon” means “one who has committed a felony.” It’s pretty straightforward. If you were tried and not convicted, of course you’re not a felon. Who would actually argue that? I don’t know anyone who uses the word “felon” to mean someone who was accused of a felony or charged with a felony. It indicated someone who has committed a felony, and, usually, the way to determine that is through conviction. i was just pointing out that committing a felony and being convicted of one are vastly different things. you said a felon was “one who has committed a felony”. committing a felony & being convicted of one are world’s apart. further, it’s possible to not commit any crime and yet still be convicted of a felony. the sad reality there is that that person is in fact a felon, until proved not to be in a court of law. ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/66 "2017-11-27T21:33:50Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > By the legal definition, unless they are tried and convicted the action they have taken is not a felony. > > If I shoot and kill someone I have not committed a felony. If I am never charged, then all I’ve done is committed a killing and can be called a killer, but not a felon. If I am charged and found not guilty I have, again, not committed a felony No facts are being changed; I’ve still shot and killed someone I’ve just not committed a felony, and am, therefore, not a felon. > > This has been pointed out numerous times in this thread, why is it so hard to understand? Just because you, or many you’s, believe an action meets the criteria to be called a felony doesn’t make it so. Here in USA an action is not a crime unless and until a judge, jury, or similar authority deems it so. > > mc which is & has been my stance the entire thread. i would like you to point out where it hasn’t, that way i know what you think is so hard for me to understand. be sure to include the post i was originally responding to for context. ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/67 "2017-11-27T21:52:06Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > … thank you > [@Senegoid](#): > > [continuing side-track] and thank you ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/68 "2017-11-27T22:16:12Z")
This reminds me of Ollie North. Convicted felon. Conviction overturned. He never disputed it, even bragged in front of Congress that he broke the law. (His testimony in front of Congress was not admissible in court. One of the key witnesses against him later admitted he might have seen it. So that testimony was thrown out, etc.) If you’re getting broad minded on what “felon” means, you have to include Ollie. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/69 "2017-11-28T00:04:43Z")
I was following up on your post, **mr horsepower** , not calling you out on it. I saw were you said: > [@](#): > > whereas i (and most others it looks like) would consider that person a felon only because of a felony conviction. and assumed others would too. I apologize if that was unclear. mc ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/70 "2017-12-01T18:03:30Z")
[A felon.](http://media.breitbart.com/media/2016/07/Lt.-General-Michael-Flynn-PABLO-MARTINEZ-MONSIVAISAP-640x480.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![mr\_horsepower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@mr\_horsepower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr_horsepower)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2017, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734/71 "2017-12-02T02:44:12Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > I was following up on your post, **mr horsepower** , not calling you out on it. I saw were you said: > > > [@mr\_horsepower](#): > > > > your definition has them labeled as a felon regardless of a felony conviction, whereas i (and most others it looks like) would consider that person a felon only because of a felony conviction. > > and assumed others would too. > I apologize if that was unclear. > > mc it was unclear because you singled me out to respond to. normally people say “this.”, or “agreed”, or similar when they are agreeing with someone. it was unclear also because the one paragraph you felt everyone would see and therefore understand my stance on this is the one paragraph you manually removed from my post when you quoted me. looking at my post with that omitted makes it seem like i was on the other side of this fence. anyway, no harm, no foul. it’s all good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definition-of-a-felon/802734.md?page=3)