[steve-b]

There is a case for penalizing the setting of dumb "booby traps", because they could endanger legitimate emergency entries (e.g. the fire department).

However, the fact that this crook or his survivors got one red cent is an outrageous travesty.

[Ches]

"There is a case for penalizing the setting of dumb "booby traps"

I believe that would be Katko v Briney (183 N.W.2d 657) A man (Briney) booby-trapped an abandoned shack with a spring gun after some robberies. The spring gun went off and shot Katko in the leg when he broke in looking for some old mason jars. Katko sued, Briney lost.

http://www.newsaic.com/mled.html