Texas Self Defense Law

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Self Defense Law What is one supposed to do when confronted with a threat in their home, work place, or vehicle? Well in the state of Texas, before 2007, there wasn’t much one could do. Of course one would feel the need to take matters into their own hands, but there was a time when they would face prosecution for doing so. With the introduction of the Castle Doctrine, people were allowed to use deadly force when confronted by a threat. In times of necessity, this law has proven to be beneficial to the victims of these confrontations. However, bad judgment and misunderstanding the law can lead to many problems, lawsuits, and innocent victims. In 2007, Texas decided that any person who felt threatened by an intruder in their abode, (which…show more content…
On the 911 tapes, you can hear Horn cocking his shotgun, going outside and confronting someone. You then hear Horn shout, “Boom! You’re dead!” and a gunshot is heard, followed by two more gunshots. Then Horn gets back on the phone, telling the dispatcher to get the police over there right away, explaining that he shot the men in his front yard. When the police arrived, Horn was taken in for questioning, and eventually free of all charges. He was protected by the Castle Doctrine Law. The court ruled that his killings, even though the men weren’t robbing his property, were justified by the Castle Doctrine. They stated that he made the shootings in self defense, and in an attempt to save his neighbors property. This ruling led to many arguments. People in favor of what Joe Horn did said that it was the American thing to do. According to TIME magazine, a “small group came out to his home in Pasadena, Texas, to protest the killings,” only to be “shouted down and run off by a far larger group of bikers and residents yelling USA, USA!” (Looking kindly on Vigilante Justice www.time.com, 3/29/12) It is easy to see how a many people could be against the law. They feel that perhaps the two men did not have to die. They could have been arrested and tied. They did not deserve to die, and they were not posing any threat to Horn of the neighbors. This sort of argument is one that will be looked at by the state, and the people hope that it can be overturned. But at the same time, a larger group consider this case a win for the Castle Doctrine, because it showed how the law is useful, and how Horn exercised his second amendment to protect himself and aid his neighbors in protecting their

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