Why Is This Bloke On Trial?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48134851
this "non violent person" - went burglarising with a weapon, and got offed, result for us all if you ask me.

[Baldric]

Oh yes, I almost forgot,
// Why Is This Bloke On Trial? //
He is not on Trial.

[Theland]

Travelers enough said

[gulliver1]

This man of 79 years. should be awarded a medal from the Queen herself, for Bravery and standing up to a Thug. I admire him.

[Calicogirl]

Personally if an armed person broke into my home, I would be perfectly at peace killing them if I thought for a nano-second that my welfare or the welfare of anyone in the house I loved was in danger. I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it. It's always sad when someone dies and I understand the dead man's family not remembering him that way but remembering him as someone they loved, but it doesn't alter the fact that he went armed and broke into someone's house.

[retrocop]

Good grief I agree with Gulliver. If my or my wife's life is threatened by an uninvited intruder who has clear intent to cause us harm then he will end up on the mortuary slab and no error.

[Baldric]

Agree 100% with Retro.

[david small]

Hear hear Retro and Baldric, vertical in, horizontal out.

[andy-hughes]

Calicogirl - // Personally if an armed person broke into my home, I would be perfectly at peace killing them if I thought for a nano-second that my welfare or the welfare of anyone in the house I loved was in danger. I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it. //

A common position from most people offering their view from the comfort of their keyboard.

Whereas any of us would wish to think we would defend ourselves and our loved ones with force if necessary, I think the casual attitude that you, or I, or anyone, could take someone's life and be unaffected, is actually completely untrue.

Yes you would tell yourself that you were justified in what you did, but I argue that the taking of a life, in these circumstances, is not something you would shrug off as though you were appearing in a James Bond film.

I think you would remember it for ever, and be changed by the experience - to assume otherwise would be to deny your humanity, something I am sure you would not wish to do, if you thought about it.

[gness]

We disagree, Andy. I know that if I killed an intruder who was threatening me with a screwdriver I'd lose no sleep over it at all either.
He'd have had no right to be there and the fault would have been entirely his....
Of course I wouldn't forget it.....but it wouldn't change me at all.......x

[Baldric]

// A common position from most people offering their view from the comfort of their keyboard //

Sorry Andy but we're at odds again, with my background and from what I know of Retro's it would be no problem whatsoever.

[gulliver1]

Calicogirl 18.45, Well said , I would do exactly the same , The Burglar must have sussed out the house and chosen it because he thought the 79 yearold was a easy target.

[andy-hughes]

I am aware that I am at odds with a number of posters on the subject of the effect of a 'righteous killing'.

I maintain my position, and I also maintain that people suggesting that they would remain unchanged have not seriously thought through the notion of killing another human being.

I could not remain unchanged by it, I seriously doubt anyone who is a thinking and feeling person could either, but as I say, I agree that we differ in our position.

[New Judge]

I think it may depend on who the victim is and what he or she had done to you, Andy.

I imagine Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife have been seriously affected by the events of a year ago. Not the least of the consequences is that they have been effectively forced from their home in which I'm fairly sure they imagined they would see out their days. This must have been absolutely devastating for them. The alternative to taking the action he did would have seen Mr O-B allow his belongings to be plundered and run the risk that he and/or his wife may be seriously injured. I'm sure he regrets the loss of life which was completely unnecessary but looks as though he will not allow it to trouble him too much as he and his wife rebuild their lives.

[andy-hughes]

New Judge - // I think it may depend on who the victim is and what he or she had done to you, Andy. //

I take your point, but I am always uncomfortable when this type of thread crops up, and the Self-Righteous Brothers queue up to advise everyone that they are top of the heap in their 'not-botheredness' when it comes to killing another person.

I concede I would more than likely act in the same way in those circumstances, but that is not the same as being desperate to convince the world just how cheap a human life is to me - because it is not.

[Baldric]

// I also maintain that people suggesting that they would remain unchanged have not seriously thought through the notion of killing another human being //

Andy I was a RM for 20 years, I was trained to kill, it was our job, I was involved in the Falklands War front line style, I lost no sleep over those I dispatched, could just have easily have been me. You have no idea!

[Calicogirl]

No andy I'm really sorry but you're not in a position with the greatest respect to tell me how I would feel about something and I can assure you that I would be unaffected. I'd appreciate it if you'd have the courtesy to take my word for that because I find it slightly patronising that anyone else thinks they can speak for me better than I myself can. Thanks.

[Calicogirl]

...and with the greatest respect ( again) it's nothing to do with life being cheap- quite the contrary actually, life is precious which is why I don't go around breaking into people's houses and threatening them with a weapon.
I would be devastated if my negligence caused someone's death, if i ran someone over etc etc etc but if I killed someone who I thought might kill me, no absolutely not, I would not give it another thought, although I would feel sorry for their family obviously.

[gness]

Andy....I can think and I can feel....but I'm not self righteous.
I also know that I am not an emotional person and that I am very black and white.
If I killed an intruder it wouldn't take long to put his self inflicted death behind me....
If I let the result of his actions impact on the rest of my life that would be a very silly and destroying thing to do. I just wouldn't let him do that to me.......
Cheap life? He had cheapened his own life by how he chose to live it......x

[Peter Pedant]

Barmaid QC: He isn't. He has not been charged.
3T foo! you sure bout dat? wot he in court for den?
Barmaid: inquest
3T den he on trial den. foo ! durr !
Barmaid QC no actually - an inquest inquires into a death and its causes. It is inquisitorial and does not point the finger
3T sounz like trial to me den ! foo again !
Barmaid - for chrissakes are you thick or something ?
3T not fick - I dont fink you know da law, I dont ...... etc etc

[Peter Pedant]

// If my or my wife's life is threatened by an uninvited intruder who has clear intent to cause us harm then he will end up on the mortuary slab and no error.//

o god Retro should know the law on this
killing in defence of oneself is straightforward - not guilty
killing in defence of someone else is more contentious

retro will know well of cases where the police are attacked and a passerby goes after the attacker with a car jack....
and get indicted - yes the passerby gets indicted along with .....
and outside court the now convicted passerby warbles that by standers should walk on by ....

but hey this is AB !