Posted on 07/03/2007 2:01:01 PM PDT by Graybeard58
JEFFERSON CITY | Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation today allowing Missourians to fatally shoot intruders without fear of prosecution or lawsuits.
The measure spells out that people are not required to retreat from an intruder and can use deadly force once the person illegally enters their home, vehicle or other dwelling, including a tent. The bill provides an absolute defense against being charged or sued for using such force.
“It ensures law-abiding Missourians will not be punished when they use force to defend themselves and their family from attacks in their own home or vehicle,” Blunt said in a statement.
Under the old law, deadly force was justified only if people believed it necessary to protect themselves or others from death or serious injury.
The bill generally makes an intruder’s presence justification to shoot, or use other force, knowing the intruder could be seriously injured or kill. It does not apply in some circumstances, such as when the intruder is a police officer or when the resident was committing certain felonies, including murder, robbery, kidnapping or sexual crimes.
The new law takes effect Aug. 28.
The bill also includes a response to the Virginia Tech slayings. It allows court records ordering people to get mental health treatment, either outpatient or in a facility, to be sent to the national system gun dealers use to complete background checks before making a sale.
Previously, Missouri did not transmit mental health records to the database, adding only those with criminal convictions to the system.
The measure also gets rid of a state law requiring people to obtain permits from their local sheriffs before they can get a handgun.
Blunt signed the bill in Joplin and planned to promote the law in Cape Girardeau and Kirksville.
Later today, Blunt planned to visit Chesterfield and sign separate legislation intended to protect hunting on flood plains.
That bill creates “hunting heritage protection areas” on 100-year flood plains of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Under the new law, tax increment financing, a redevelopment tool that diverts tax collections to help pay for private projects, generally could not be used in those areas.
The measure still allows the tax tool to be used for flood control and renewable energy plants, such as ethanol and biodiesel. The flood-plain hunting areas also would not include urban areas, ports or land within half a mile of interstate highways.
The Castle Doctrine marches on...
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I've said it before, I'll say it again. I love my governor. He has consistently made good decisions. I hope he will be President one day.
This should make the dems happy since in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings they said that there needed to be some changes in our gun laws.
born and raised in MO, I never knew it was against the law
If you shoot an intruder, hide his carcass until the law takes effect in August. Call the cops then and tell them it just happened and he smelled that way when you shot him.
The total cost of my next handgun purchase will be $35.00 less on August 28th.
Way to go runt Blunt.
After I fainted dead away on the floor, I got up and finished reading the article. We Missourians were always required to let ourselves be cornered with no escape, or dive out a window, before being allowed to shoot the intruder in the dark. Around here for decades it’s been SOP to handcuff the survivors of a shooting and take them to jail with a presumption of criminal assault or criminal homicide. Amazing.
I think I only paid about $10 for the background check which took about a week but now I’d like to know what database I’m on and can I remove myself?!!
Libby out. Guns in. Dems crying like babies. What a great day.
Suhweeeeeeeeeetttttttt! I’m moving outta MA where if you defend yourself against an intruder YOU GO TO JAIL, yes indeedy, the intruder becomes the victim, what a place.
Blunt
and to the point.
The “Blunt Force” bill......
Okay...I’ve seen the term “Castle Doctrine” several times but I admit that I don’t know what it is. Care to explain please?
Blunt signs deadly force billWell, do you get it? It's the eponymy, stupid. Blunt? As in blunt force trauma? I would burst out laughing but it is the lowest form of humour.
In contrast in socialist states, like England, self defense is for all practical purposes a crime. They view it as an infringement on the powers of the state.
Well done Missouri legislature (never thought I’d write that) and Matt Blunt.
C.W.
Little bit by little bit we push back.
But is it already too late?
“I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I love my governor. He has consistently made good decisions. I hope he will be President one day.”
So I guess asking to trade you Sebelius for Blunt is out of the question.
Not sure who “sebelius” is but guessing your unfortunate governor. No thanks, I like mine just fine. I think I’ll keep him if I have any say.
I do think we in Missouri are blessed with an exceptional governor. I really don’t even follow him that close that I knew about what you’d posted. I only know every time something of note comes up, he does the right thing.
The only thing I’ve ever seen that was “controversial” was when he used public funds to remove a law in Kansas city, a law no longer used but still on the books. It was something about black people not allowed on the streets after a certain time. Sure, he spent public money to remove but it needed to be removed.
Sebelius is the governor of Kansas.
Maybe it was law, but could you find a jury in Missouri that would convict you?
Why isn’t she on the news crying that Kansas doesn’t have the resouces to deal with the recent flooding because of Iraq?
I do hope Texas follows.
Signed by Gov. Perry on 03/27/07, goes into effect 09/01/07
I thought Texas was the posterchild for gun rights and protecting one’s family.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Colderwater’s response is pretty good. In short, this law removes the obligation to retreat from an attacker. In some jurisdictions, you are obligated to flee from an assailant and you cannot use deadly force until escape is impossible; you must almost literally have your back to the wall. This law opens up your tactical options without exposing you to a Nifonging. For example, in my house, the bedrooms are at the end of a hallway. If someone breaks in at 2 a.m., ignoring barking dogs as they go, then I want to engage them in that hallway where they have no room to maneuver. That hallway is going to be my killing ground. If my State (CA) didn’t have a Castle Doctrine law, then I would have to wait until the goblin actually entered the bedroom. There’s one problem with that, however: My child’s room is across the hall. I would have to hope that the bad guy turns into our room instead of hers or I would have to hustle her across the hall, and the other guy’s line of fire, and into our room. With this type of law, I have the option to determine where the fight is going to take place.
She mentioned it once after the tornado hit Greensburg, KS and pissed off a lot of people.
“He has consistently made good decisions.”
that’s a point for debate. IMO he hasn’t.
I think you meant this reply for someone else.
Yep, I think you meant that for me but I don't understand. What's not to like about Gov Blunt? What decisions has he made that you cannot agree with?
“What decisions has he made that you cannot agree with?”
shall we start with the removal of medical benefits for the poor?
“shall we start with the removal of medical benefits for the poor?”
Doesn’t sound like much of a “removal” to me:
July 03, 2007
http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/865/public/index.html
“Monday marked a new beginning for Missouri’s 40-year-old Medicaid program. That’s what Gov. Matt Blunt said when he signed legislation to enact Mo HealthNet and reshape the system.”
“Mo HealthNet will restore coverage to some of the thousands who lost it because of budget cuts two years ago, and rid some abuses of the old system. It was a priority for Blunt and the Republican-led legislature, which passed SB 577 it in the final hour of its 2007 session.”
• Replaces the failing Medicaid system to improve health care for low income Missourians
• Delivers on the promise to create an innovative health care system to deliver 21st century health care to Missourians
• Promotes prevention, health and wellness
• Recognizes the importance of personal attention and a personalized health plan
• Gives participants the option to choose their health care home
• Expands health care to working Missourians with disabilities
• Expands care to foster children until they are 21 years of age
• Allows more children to be eligible for health coverage under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
• Increases health care coverage for the lower-income working uninsured • Embraces technology to improve health care safety and quality
• Provides additional tools for furthering the fight against fraud and abuse of taxpayer resources
• Restores dental and eye care benefits to adults whose benefits were cut two years ago
• Let’s whistle-blowers get a 10 percent cut for reporting Medicaid provider fraud to the state attorney general’s office if their tips lead to successful prosecutions
• Sets up a pilot project in an urban and rural area to offset part of the private health insurance premiums of previously uninsured small business employees.
It doesn’t restore to many what was already taken away the first time around. It doesn’t cover near the disabled that were working, paying taxes and in many cases at least part of their own care and are now forced to live in nursing homes just so they can have medical care. Lost their homes, their jobs, their diginity.
Example of current non participant, family man with ALS, makes 1400 a month, under this current program he would have to PAY 680 bucks for medical care. Six hundred and eight bucks. Could you provide for a family on what was left?
Where is his family? There are examples of poor people all over this country, some are poor because of choices they have made, some because of unfortunate medical conditions. That doesn’t mean the government should take from those who have and give to those who don’t.
I give to charity because I want to and shouldn’t have my money taken by government for redistribution as they see fit.
I’ve worked all my life and paid taxes only to see them redistributed to the unworthy, I’m sick of it. The only money I’ve ever received from government was military pay and damn’d little of that for 4 years. You can have Hillary care if you want it but no thanks for me.
I have a serious medical condition and I pay for it. I don’t expect, need or want anybody’s tax money to help. It would be nice if I could keep a little more of my own.
I’m not impressed by sad stories about individuals who are having a hard time, I know there are a lot of them out there. I take care of my family and help take care of others.
The man’s family was sitting in the room during the interview, wife and several small children.
I’m going with the idea that you seem to think his extended family should shoulder the burden of care.
“I take care of my family and help take care of others.”
Good for you. What will you do if for some unforeseen occurrence you can no longer do what you’re doing? Then what? There’s no safety net for many and they simply do without. I’m not factoring the deadbeats or “socialized medicine” in this argument. I’m tired of seeing good people screwed over because of unfortunate circumstances.
Screwed over by whom? It still sounds as if you are trying to say that some people are "entitled" to something. Are they "screwed over" by God? Does the government (tax payers) owe them something?
If you want your tax money to go for free medical care for others that's fine for you but you also think that mine should go to the same purpose.
I have compassion for the man in your example but as a tax payer I don't owe him anything.
You seem to know him personally and if you will FReepmail me his mailing address I will send him some money as well as pray for him.
It’s late, I’m going to bed, I’ll read and respond to any reply you make tomorrow.
I wonder if he goes around saying “let me be blunt” or “allow me to be blunt” or some such...
You have made several excellent points in these past few posts. Not every sad story and every problem individuals have can be saved by throwing taxpayer $ at them. Not all the problems in the world can be fixed by another social program.
To me, Governor Blunt is doing what a Republican governor is supposed to do. Restoring personal rights and personal responsibilities to it's citizens. Reducing social programs and balancing the budget.
Just looking at the program above that he's about to sign, a little scary. For instance, why should taxpayers pay for foster children's health care until they're 21? A few other things I didn't agree with.
Graybeard: Sorry to hear of your health problems!
swmo: I understand your compassion for this person and I feel for him and others in similar circumstances but I realize I can't fix everyone's problems. Hopefully there will be other resources to step in, friends, family, church. That is how things were taken care of in the past.
“Hopefully there will be other resources to step in, friends, family, church. That is how things were taken care of in the past.”
Do you know how trite that sounds?
Would not a silencer and a good shovel solve the problem?
Yes, do you know how many sad cases in life there are? Truly I sympathize, but you can't create government programs for the few deserving individuals. Private, not government, is the way to go.
Do you know how trite that sounds?
Do you know how socialist you sound?
Technically, and thankfully, many churches etc still help the poor. That is what a “loving community” is SUPPOSE to do. But some folks want the govt to be “big daddy”. ;-\
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