I DO HAVE CAMERAS AND NEIGHBORS WILLING TO WITNESS SOMEONE COMING ONTO MY PROPERTY..... Please read.....Next time there will be no warning. Recently, Governor Tom Corbett signed legislation affording Pennsylvania citizens greater legal protection for the use of deadly force taken in self-defense. Under the expansion, law-abiding citizens will be justified in using force, including deadly force, against an attacker in their home and any place outside of their home where they have a legal right to be. The right to stand your ground that currently exists only within one’s home will be extended beyond the home. For instance, if you are in your car, on your bike, or an invited guest in another’s home, you will no longer be required to retreat first and may use deadly force if faced with an imminent threat to your life. The expansion also protects individuals from civil lawsuits by the attacker or the attacker’s family when force is used. However, the expansion specifically excludes using deadly force against a household member or a police officer and during illegal activity or with an illegally purchased weapon. The passage of the law is not without controversy. Proponents of the expansion claim that it is necessary to place Pennsylvania citizens on equal footing with the criminals who would attack them, and that the expansion serves as a further deterrent against violent crime. They argue that the measure was merely designed to protect law-abiding citizens, who shouldn’t have to fear the long arm of the law when they find themselves in a situation where they might have to resort to using deadly force. Conversely, opponents argue that not only will the expansion fail to reduce crime, but that it will actually increase gun violence. These opponents assert that the new law will turn the state into a Wild West scenario where people can shoot first and be free from prosecution later. While the law is signed and settled, the debate continues. Does giving people the right to shoot at someone on the street, if they perceive them to be a threat, make people more secure or less so? Does it curb violent crime, exacerbate it, or have little overall impact? Pennsylvania is about to find out, through trial and error, as the law goes into effect on August 27. Read about defenses to murder here.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 21:39:26 +0000
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