Posted on 04/21/2011 5:18:42 AM PDT by marktwain
Wesley Hall said he didn't want to hurt anyone, but a suspected copper thief didn't leave him much choice early Tuesday.
Hall said he shot James D. King, 41, in the leg after King lunged at him in a dark basement apartment of a house Hall owns at 3220 Poppleton Ave.
King was taken to Creighton University Medical Center in critical condition after the shooting, which occurred about 2:30 a.m. His injuries were not considered life-threatening. His condition was not being released by the hospital.
Hall, who was not hurt and lives about a half-mile northwest of the shooting scene, said he's been making daily checks on the house ever since an April 7 break-in where copper was stolen.
Armed with a handgun, Hall said he found King in a basement apartment. He said he pointed the gun at King and told him not to move.
But King came at him, he said, so he lowered the gun and shot him once in the leg.
Hall, 52, was ticketed on suspicion of having an unregistered handgun and was released from police custody after about three hours of questioning.
If convicted on the gun allegation, Hall could face a maximum six months in jail and a $500 fine. Omaha City Prosecutor Marty Conboy, who had not yet seen the reports relating to the shooting, said typically a homeowner must establish that there is a legitimate fear for a person's safety to justify a shooting.
“There is an old misconception that you can shoot someone once they are in your house,” Conboy said.
(Excerpt) Read more at omaha.com ...
Sounds to me like Nebraska needs to change their law.
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