Thieves could go free while victim faces jail time

[chevysoldier]

Video on site.

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-theives-free-victim-arrested-txt,0,231586.story

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. - Admitted thieves are going free, while an elderly Wheat Ridge man is facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars, all, he says, for trying to defend his property and his life.

[Aerik]

I don't get it. He hit the guy in the truck in the face-- therefore it sounds like he was in front of the vehicle. Doesn't a 5000+ pound truck accelerating toward you count as a deadly weapon?

Is there some quirk in Colorado law that governs self defense on the property but outside the home? Like a 'duty to retreat' sort of thing?

From the information available so far, it doesn't sound like old dude did anything I wouldn't have done in his place. What is the prosecutor's justification for charging him on this?

I'm just plain cornfoosed.

[granda080]

My dad had a friend in this similar situation. Guy's broke into his barn and then house. My dad's friend shot the burglar, which the man ended up dying from the shot. He ended up serving 8 years I think. Crazy situation, hard to think how you could fault the person being robbed.

[Goldie]

None of this even makes sense. There are so many things that could be said, but it would just be beating a dead horse.

I hope it works out for the old guy.

[chevysoldier]

I don't get it. He hit the guy in the truck in the face-- therefore it sounds like he was in front of the vehicle. Doesn't a 5000+ pound truck accelerating toward you count as a deadly weapon?

Is there some quirk in Colorado law that governs self defense on the property but outside the home? Like a 'duty to retreat' sort of thing?

From the information available so far, it doesn't sound like old dude did anything I wouldn't have done in his place. What is the prosecutor's justification for charging him on this?

I'm just plain cornfoosed.

The only thing I could think of was the prosecutor said he should have let them take off and not put himself into the situation of getting run over. But I agree with what you said.

[Disclaimer]

Now that the media has gotten ahold of it, I wonder how much pressure they're going to put on the prosecutor.

The court of public opinion does weird things to the scales of justice.

[alienpi]

Sometimes I wish SAW was real and that he/she took requests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdRsM6MZOcQ

Edited July 10, 2010 by alienpi

[omaralaoui]

Sometimes I wish SAW was real and that he/she took requests.

YouTube- SAW 6 (VI) - Official Trailer [HD]

;lol:popcorn:

[|SnOmAn|]

I didn't read the article but from what y'all are talking about seems like he may have had time to move? He could have shot at the van but not the people. Duty to retreat sounds right but I understand this situation is messed up. Criminals have more rights then we do anymore.

[John]

you cant shoot to defend property. maybe in texas, but not in ohio, and apparently not in colorado either.

same shit just happened a month or two ago up near campus. dude saw someone breaking into his car, so he went out and shot them. he ended up going to jail because you cant shoot someone to protect your shitty car stereo, or your trailer. only to protect your life.

[oldschoolsdime92]

^ I know thats the law, but i certainly do not agree with it. If i paid my hard earned money for a particular item, and am not allowed to protect it from some slimeball trying to steal it... I suppose thats what insurance is for.

[MattKatz]

We should be able to shoot the insurance companies as well.

They legally Rob us every day.

[owndjoo]

luckily the whole duty to retreat thing has gone by the wayside in your home in ohio... they break in, then you can assume they are trying to harm you. i as well would shoot someone if they are driving toward me and not attempting to swerve, especially with a gun pointed at them. My whole law enforcement training has actually made my beliefs on these matters a lil more cemented... as a cop, you would DEFINITELY light them up

[Aerik]

Bingo! If it's good enough for the police' date=' it's good enough for the rest of us. My life is just as valuable as a cop's. If I couldn't move away fast enough I'm sure I'd have to open fire.[/quote']

Agreed. Even a new Honda Civic weighs something like 2600 lbs. If someone is attempting to hit me with that, I consider it a pretty severe fucking threat. If a brick can be considered a deadly weapon, a car most certainly should be.