NY Cops arrest man for defending home.

[Osprey 199]

Someone tell me what's wrong with this picture.

 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/09/07/long-island-man-arrested-for-defending-home-with-ak-47/

 

“I went around and went into the house, ran upstairs and told my wife to call the police. I get the gun and I go outside and I come into the doorway and now, by this time, they are in the driveway, back here near the house. I tell them, you know, ‘Can you please leave?’ Grier said.

 

Grier said the five men dared him to use the gun; and that their shouts brought another larger group of gang members in front of his house.

 

“He starts threatening my family, my life. ‘Oh you’re dead. I’m gonna kill your family and your babies. You’re dead.’ So when he says that, 20 others guys come rushing around the corner. And so I fired four warning shots into the grass,” Grier said.

 

Grier was later arrested. John Lewis is Grier’s attorney.

 

“What he’s initially charged with – A D felony reckless endangerment — requires a depraved indifference to human life, creating a risk that someone’s going to die. Shooting into a lawn doesn’t create a risk of anybody dying,” Lewis said.

 

WTF is going on.

[Magicman28 295]

Someone tell me what's wrong with this picture.

 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2010/09/07/long-island-man-arrested-for-defending-home-with-ak-47/

 

 

 

WTF is going on.

 

 

 

He should've stayed in his house! Shooting outside like that, he could've hit anyone. Now if they come barging into his home and he stays inside, thats a different story. He can shoot until hes out of ammo.

 

I'm a concealed weapons permit gun owner that comes from a law enforcement filled family. They teach this religiously in CWP classes.

 

Best thing he could've done was get his family together in a safe zone or safe room that him and his family have chosen with his gun guarding the safe zone or room while at the sametime his wife is on the phone to local law enforcement telling them the situation. Going outside was just dumb. What if one of the gang members shot back, killed him and got into his house where his family is at unguarded?

[Osprey 199]

He should've stayed in his house! Shooting outside like that, he could've hit anyone. Now if they come barging into his home and he stays inside, thats a different story. He can shoot until hes out of ammo.

 

I'm a concealed weapons permit gun owner that comes from a law enforcement filled family. They teach this religiously in CWP classes.

 

Best thing he could've done was get his family together in a safe zone or safe room that him and his family have chosen with his gun guarding the safe zone or room while at the sametime his wife is on the phone to local law enforcement telling them the situation. Going outside was just dumb. What if one of the gang members shot back, killed him and got into his house where his family is at unguarded?

 

Actually if they were on his property then he should have every right to defend it. In Florida you can shoot an intruder on your property if you think he means you or your property harm.

 

Using your logic, as long as the gangsters stayed outside his house and fired on him, he couldn't shoot back.

[BMP 424]

You may think a person has the right to defend their home. But the law says you can only use physical force to deter physical force. Grier said he never saw anyone pull out a gun, so a court would have to decide on firing the gun.

[Osprey 199]

And he's being charged with Reckless Endangerment. Which means that when firing the gun he had to be displaying direct disregard for human life. He shot 4 times into the ground as warning shots.

 

Are we actually condemning this man for protecting his family from 20+ gang bangers? The fact that all states don't have a "Stand your ground"/"Line in the sand"/Homestead laws is deplorable.

[BMP 424]

And he's being charged with Reckless Endangerment. Which means that when firing the gun he had to be displaying direct disregard for human life. He shot 4 times into the ground as warning shots.

 

Are we actually condemning this man for protecting his family from 20+ gang bangers? The fact that all states don't have a "Stand your ground"/"Line in the sand"/Homestead laws is deplorable.

 

Nope, just answering your question. No one pulled out a gun except for him, he shot the gun when the law says you're not supposed to, and got arrested. They'll probably drop it all. Picking up a hooker is illegal in most states, and while it's harmless to do it (you know, minus the STDs), it's still not allowed.

 

 

Just being plain here. Your question was why he got arrested, and it's because he broke the law.

 

 

Now had to asked why that law is in place, I'd have a different answer...

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

And he's being charged with Reckless Endangerment. Which means that when firing the gun he had to be displaying direct disregard for human life. He shot 4 times into the ground as warning shots.

 

Are we actually condemning this man for protecting his family from 20+ gang bangers? The fact that all states don't have a "Stand your ground"/"Line in the sand"/Homestead laws is deplorable.

 

i think the letter of the law is made so that people can't abuse the "you're an angry neighbor talking to me on my lawn, i'm going to shoot you." type of thing.

 

Why the outrage though? no jury is going to convict him. It's not up to the police to determine if he's guilty or innocent. he broke a law (in a situation where any of us should break the law) and will get exonerated when the case goes to trial.

[Osprey 199]

i think the letter of the law is made so that people can't abuse the "you're an angry neighbor talking to me on my lawn, i'm going to shoot you." type of thing.

 

Why the outrage though? no jury is going to convict him. It's not up to the police to determine if he's guilty or innocent. he broke a law (in a situation where any of us should break the law) and will get exonerated when the case goes to trial.

 

DA's drop charges all the time. Why are they pursuing charges against this individual?

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

DA's drop charges all the time. Why are they pursuing charges against this individual?

 

The incident occurred Sunday night. The article was written Tuesday Morning. Once all evidence is collected in the case it will probably be dropped.

 

NY is extremely tough on gun laws though.

[Captain Hi-Top 791]

I am under the assumption that NY law is different than FL law, but in FL, if you are on my property, and I or my family feel threatened, I have every right to arm myself, regardless of whether or not the perps themselves are armed. They don't even need to be in my house, nor on my property. As a matter of fact, according to FL law now, I can deploy my firearm in order to stop a violent crime (or a felony, I forget the exact verbage now) even if that crime is happening to someone else and I am not involved at all.

 

That does not relieve me of responsibilities of other state and local laws. If I shoot at someone, and I miss, striking an innocent bystander, I am at fault, and responsible. If I break any laws, again, I am at fault and responsible.

 

I would not be surprised to hear one of two things in this case. Either the charges end up being dismissed, or there is more to the story and this guy was not JUST defending his family and/or property.

[Fultz4thewin 2,464]

I am under the assumption that NY law is different than FL law, but in FL, if you are on my property, and I or my family feel threatened, I have every right to arm myself, regardless of whether or not the perps themselves are armed. They don't even need to be in my house, nor on my property. As a matter of fact, according to FL law now, I can deploy my firearm in order to stop a violent crime (or a felony, I forget the exact verbage now) even if that crime is happening to someone else and I am not involved at all.

 

That does not relieve me of responsibilities of other state and local laws. If I shoot at someone, and I miss, striking an innocent bystander, I am at fault, and responsible. If I break any laws, again, I am at fault and responsible.

 

I would not be surprised to hear one of two things in this case. Either the charges end up being dismissed, or there is more to the story and this guy was not JUST defending his family and/or property.

 

 

There are disputing articles. Some say he fired bullets into the ground and air. That's about it though. The NY legal system is tough on gun control laws though. Look at what happened with Plaxico (though the situation was much different).

 

The Mayor probably told the police to crack down on potential gun crimes and let the later criminal investigation sort things out.

 

The man was in a reasonable setting to use force

 

The man legally owned the gun

 

The man had no prior criminal charges

 

The man holds a steady job and works in a church/ is a community asset.

 

There is no way in hell that this 1. goes to court or 2. the jury convicts him of anything.

 

Worst case scenario (if he actually fired bullets into the air) I think the charges get dropped pending he enroll in a gun safety course and pay a small fine. If he didn't fire bullets into the air probably just the safety course.

[Magicman28 295]

You cannot defend your property by shooting an unarmed person. I'm an concealed weapons permit owner in the state of FL and that is explain perfectly clear. Property is not of an equal value as a life. Yes you do have an duty as a CWP owner to defend ANOTHER life but again, not property. If your outside your home and a guy comes up to you with a knife or any weapon, then yes, you have an right to shoot that individual. If hes trying to break into your car, you do not. You go and call police and let them handle it.