If you have a home robber at your mercy, should it be a crime to execute him?

[carenard]

Basically, someone or few people armed with any weapons invade your home at midnight, and you whip out a shotgun to get the jump on them. Assuming you haven't killed them on the spot and force them to relinquish their weapons and get on their knees, should it REALLY be considered a crime to kill them in these instances?

I've read on stories where these scenarios did happen (the execute part) and, while the person that killed his assailants don't really ever get crazy punishments, they still go to jail for a time. Like, why?

at this point it is a crime to kill them, if you had killed them on the spot it would have not been a crime.

reasoning: you made them no longer an immediate threat to your life or your family, and no longer a threat to anything in your home(as they are disarmed, on their knees begging for their life), at this point you should be calling the cops to have them arrested... if they try to run... it is still a crime to kill them... now if they run then suddenly turn around back towards you, their life is forfeit)

and I live in Texas, home of shoot them intruders dead in home defense.

[elaina]

no it's fucking NOT. What is stopping these people from coming back? The moment they invade your home to hurt you, the moment they lose their rights as human beings and revert to wild animals for putting down.

Huh? Call the damn cops. Why would they come back?

They are still human beings. An execution style shooting is not defensive or any kind of reasonable retaliation and should land someone in jail. Gun nuts like this are just looking for an excuse to shoot someone who has wronged them without legal recourse, which I personally think is pretty fucked up.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Then unarmed, defenseless people should arm themselves when breaking into a house. Because they can be shot. On sight. In most states - conservative and liberal - it is completely legal to shoot a home invader. And what would the onus be on me, the home owner, to ascertain if an assailant is armed/unarmed before I shoot? In what world do you live in that innocent people have to determine if evil doers are armed before they can defend themselves?

(and p.s., if you check my post history, i'm generally liberal - and I don't own a gun)

That's not the situation presented. The situation presented is that the person is already at your mercy... IE you are holding that person at gunpoint...if they had a gun at all they don't currently have free access to it. If you pull the trigger at this point you are aware of the fact that you are killing a defenseless human being.

[Super Kami Dende]

How does someone like you work at all in society?

Quite easily. What exactly would cause me to have trouble to?

[Cruor]

That's not the situation presented. The situation presented is that the person is already at your mercy... IE you are holding that person at gunpoint...if they had a gun at all they don't currently have free access to it. If you pull the trigger at this point you are aware of the fact that you are killing a defenseless human being.

That "defenseless human being" is dangerous and a bane to society. I explained why you should still kill them 1) Criminal 2) most Criminals are repeat offenders 3) Why let them go to hurt others? Why let them go to lounge in a prison THEN get out and rob more people?

[Deleted]

In my country they go to jail because no item is worth human life. Maybe if you had gunshot wound and no other options then you can kill them.

[MechaMoose]

short answer it honestly depends on the situation

long answer there's a difference between a buff dude shooting a teenage robber who didn't harm him vs a elderly person shooting a robber that broke his ribs a few mins ago it all depends on the situation

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

That "defenseless human being" is dangerous and a bane to society. I explained why you should still kill them 1) Criminal 2) most Criminals are repeat offenders 3) Why let them go to hurt others? Why let them go to lounge in a prison THEN get out and rob more people?

Who said anything about letting them go? Call the Police.

[kail]

I know, right? The gall of disrespecting my life by breaking into my home! They better hope they see me first, cuz I would def shoot to kill, not taking the chance they will try to kill me, they already broke into my home!

Are you going to at least consider who is breaking into your home before pulling the trigger? If you see that it's some child in your home, are they still a threat by default?

- - - Updated - - -

Note to self: don't disarm first, shoot them first so it won't be murder.

If they are still alive after being shot and are disabled, going to shoot them again? Two wounds look more damning in court than one.

- - - Updated - - -

That "defenseless human being" is dangerous and a bane to society. I explained why you should still kill them 1) Criminal 2) most Criminals are repeat offenders 3) Why let them go to hurt others? Why let them go to lounge in a prison THEN get out and rob more people?

Yeah...just empty our prisons by killing them. All criminals should die apparently.

[Adamas102]

Get back on your meds, OP.

[Cruor]

How American, kill people over "stuff".

Seriously, please explain why not? Why does some dirtbag who breaks into my house to rob me have such a high right to live? What benefit does keepping them around serve? They are just hurting others, why not kill them? explain it. As I have already said, most criminals are proven to be repeat offenders. He goes to prison for 8 years after you stop him, gets out and does it again.

[Bainnor]

Seriously, please explain why not? Why does some dirtbag who breaks into my house to rob me have such a high right to live? What benefit does keepping them around serve? They are just hurting others, why not kill them? explain it. As I have already said, most criminals are proven to be repeat offenders. He goes to prison for 8 years after you stop him, gets out and does it again.

You say most criminals are proven to be repeat offenders. Have any facts to back that up? Additionally, you ever consider why? Prison that focuses on punishment instead of rehabilitation doesn't exactly provide a lot of incentive for people to better themselves. When someone breaks into your home, you don't know what circumstances caused their poor decision. Yes, committing a crime is a bad decision, but understanding why can help prevent future bad decisions.

Perhaps they're only breaking in because they're suffering from some form of mental illness, and with proper treatment they never would have made that choice. If that were the case, you'd be executing a person just because they didn't get their medication. Is that right and just? Of course, now that they went to prison, any hopes at a high paying job just went out the window, so being able to afford their medication in the future is now much harder, making it likely that they'll follow the same poor decision tree.

Education also plays an important role in criminal tendencies, the sort of violent criminal who commits a home invasion is much more likely to be a desperate person with few options and low education, and earning potential is also linked to education, so obviously the limited earning potential of a post-incarceration felon is not exactly giving them the ability to get a college degree.

You paint this picture like it's a simple black and white scenario, but like all things in society, it's complicated, and there are shades of grey. We're not omniscient, so sometimes we'll let a bad guy go and he'll do bad things again. Our justice system is based on 'innocent until proven guilty', because we value people, and we've chosen to punish people for things they actually do, not things they might do, even if those things are highly likely.

[Mifuyne]

Seriously, please explain why not? Why does some dirtbag who breaks into my house to rob me have such a high right to live?

The same right as you have, it's called being human.

[Cruor]

The same right as you have, it's called being human.

Nice job explaining nothing. They are a detriment and hurting others. Why keep them around? Explain.

[Mifuyne]

Nice job explaining nothing. They are a detriment and hurting others. Why keep them around? Explain.

Maybe they are in such a state where here has to rob you for money to feed his/her children?

Let's say he has 2 children - and 1 robber in question
Basically he makes atleast 2 children happy by feeding them.
That's 2 lives over 1 life (which is yours, with which he has no corrolation with).

Do we also execute children that steal something, or from their parents?
Do we execute people that litter the streets?
Do we execute people that ride cars because they are detrimental to the earth?

Seemingly you find human life to be worth less than the items in your house, which speaks volumes.

[Tackhisis]

human life to be worth less than the items in your house

The criminal's life became worthless the moment when he resorted to violence, i.e. armed breaking and entering.

[Deleted]

If she's still in your house and arguing with you then she's up to something. Keep up your guard and be ready for the kill.
Your morals might make you hesitant, but her wont.

If she's retreating then chase him until he leaves your possession entirely.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

A lot of people seem to be struggling with the phrase "at your mercy"

[Cruor]

Maybe they are in such a state where here has to rob you for money to feed his/her children?

Let's say he has 2 children - and 1 robber in question
Basically he makes atleast 2 children happy by feeding them.
That's 2 lives over 1 life (which is yours, with which he has no corrolation with).

Do we also execute children that steal something, or from their parents?
Do we execute people that litter the streets?
Do we execute people that ride cars because they are detrimental to the earth?

Seemingly you find human life to be worth less than the items in your house, which speaks volumes.

Here is the difference between us: You view all humans as valued equally. This is a flawed view, senseless. Einstein was worth more then either one of us, for example. Criminals are worthless. They are a detriment to society... what do you not understand? I could not care less about his two worthless children. Should have been stable before having them. Plenty of kids are little monsters or just plain retarded. You can't compare cars exhaust to robbing and hurting people, that is just stupid.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Here is the difference between us: You view all humans as valued equally. This is a flawed view, senseless. Einstein was worth more then either one of us, for example. Criminals are worthless. They are a detriment to society... what do you not understand? I could not care less about his two worthless children. Should have been stable before having them. Plenty of kids are little monsters or just plain retarded. You can't compare cars exhaust to robbing and hurting people, that is just stupid.

The moment you kill a helpless human being you become a criminal. Therefore you, by your own logic, become worthless.