L.A. man shoots car thief, charged with murder

Yahoo News ^ | Wed Apr 7, '04 | unknown

[Dante3]

You mean you are supposed to just stand by and let them take your things?

[Stu Cohen]

If you believe that your automobile is more valuable than a human life, then I suggest that you need to reexamine your priorities.

Please repphrase that to: "Is the car more valuable than a CAR THIEF's life?"

I've re-examined my priorities, and have found myself comfortable with them.

That's my opinion, and it's the law in most jurisdictions.

Some laws and opinions stink, whaddya gonna do?

This guy could have been breaking into my neighbors house tonight. I doubt he was strictly limited to "car theft".

A car is just a car, no matter how much you may care about it. Yes the thief is a scumbag, but we don't execute car thieves in this country.

Just like skydiving, car theft is not a risk-less endeavor. the state may not execute, but you are laying your bets that the owner is not.

An armed society is a polite society.

Someone steals my car, I call the cops.

Do they come running back with your car? Cops are tax xollectors and cleanup men. Only citizens can prevent crime.

Someone breaks into my house, they're dead.

What, you wouldn't call the cops?

Someone threatens me or mine, or anyone with deadly force, and I'll act immediately.

Now you're talking.

A car? My insurance will cover the loss.

Is that what it comes down to? Insurance? What about the poor guy who can only afford liability? He still needs to get to work, no?

And the car theif has a better than average chance of committing another, sometimes more violent crime later. Do society (and your insurance company) a favor.

[dennisw]

Yoon Ho Song.... Korean name.

They don't like taking crap off of knuckle dragging theives. They took out rifles to defend their stores during the LA riots.

[Servant of the 9]

"The fact that your car is being stolen isn't a legal justification for killing somebody," Deputy District Attorney Frank Somes said. "Generally, you're not allowed to kill people unless they are committing a violent felony or you are acting in self defense."

One more reason to live in Texas instead of Kalifornia.

So9

[Stu Cohen]

"The fact that your car is being stolen isn't a legal justification for killing somebody," Deputy District Attorney Frank Somes said. "Generally, you're not allowed to kill people unless they are committing a violent felony or you are acting in self defense."

Gee, I feel so much safer with a DA like that.

[Atlas Sneezed]

If you believe that your automobile is more valuable than a human life, then I suggest that you need to reexamine your priorities.

---

A lawfully owned automobile is worth more than the life of a thief because the thief's life has NEGATIVE value. Society is better off if he is DEAD. Killing a thief is not a cost to offset against protecting property, but a benefit to be added to it.

Moreover, a car can represent the savings of years of a person's labor, or years of a person's life. To steal the property is to steal years of a life. There is no moral difference between murdering a man 2 years before he would have died naturally, and burning the home he spent two years of hard labor building. Property is life.

For your position to make any sense, putting the life of another above the value of a possession, we would have to be talking about the life of an innocent, whose life has presumptive value. You can't (if it were possible) drop a deadly concrete barrier in front of a skidding vehicle that is about to total your parked car to protect the car. But you morally can do the same on someone who is intentionally about to destroy your property.

[Redcloak]

Sorry, but it was a bad shoot. In this State, you cannot use deadly force unless you're in reasonable fear of death or great bodily injury. Two punks pushing your car out of the driveway are not a threat.

Guys like this aren't heros. They aren't protectors of the 2nd Amendment. In fact, they're a worse threat to our freedoms than Sarah Brady could ever hope to be. Bozos like this make gun control sound reasonable.

[rolling_stone]

In the old days they hung horse thieves on the spot.....

[Stu Cohen]

The fact that your car is being stolen isn't a legal justification for killing somebody," Deputy District Attorney Frank Somes said. "Generally, you're not allowed to kill people unless they are committing a violent felony or you are acting in self defense."

How much you want to bet that the DA lives in the safest, whitest, gated community he could find within an hours drive of his home?

[Stu Cohen]

Well put.

[Stu Cohen]

How much you want to bet that the DA lives in the safest, whitest, gated community he could find within an hours drive of his home?

DOH!

Make that "within an hour's drive of his office"

[Stagerite]

Authorities are authorized to protect human life and property by "We the People"; they are not authorized to terrorize citizens that have acted -- a human right -- to personally protect their own life or property.

[RonHolzwarth]

Someone did pass "a law saying that anyone could slap you in the face, and you couldn't retaliate."

His name was Jesus of Nazareth.

Matthew Chapter 5:
[39] But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;

Luke Chapter 6:
[29] To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.

You asked: "would you obey it?"

I don't really know. Ideals are a very difficult thing to follow.

[beelzepug]

"They had found my stolen MG..."

Maybe it was a gift from GOD. (hee hee)

[beelzepug]

"My insurance will cover the loss."

And my rates will go up as a result.

[judgeandjury]

I have to agree. Shooting someone for stealing a car is just stupid.

This quick poll was just taken: 500 car thieves were asked if shooting someone for stealing a car is stupid. All 500 of the car thieves answered YES to the question.

[paul51]

"The fact that your car is being stolen isn't a legal justification for killing somebody," Deputy District Attorney Frank Somes said. "Generally, you're not allowed to kill people unless they are committing a violent felony or you are acting in self defense."

Whether one agrees with it or not, anyone who owns a firearm in Ca should realize this

[judgeandjury]

Yoon Ho Song for mayor of Los Angeles!

[RonHolzwarth]

It's a lot easier to explain your problem to your insurance agent than to a judge, for sure!

[bmwcyle]

VOTE ARE NEEDED!