MAY I SHOOT A BURGLAR?

Western Star, 12 October 1926, Page 3

MAY I SHOOT A BURGLAR?

(By A Barrister.)

Recent shooting quesmany honest citizeuts la w to tion. "When am I allowed t shoot a man?. , Q f the night If in the dark hours you find a i man m > has no your enclosed ' obviously ?i g ht to he. there, and ohasor 0 has or come with mten entitled some criminal ofience are 3 .murder. • circumstances that But there may be cu cum one Voulid justify (' are n ot ending is quite clear s for damaging or t Ca defend°your life or the eS of th ° S6 by di««™ t cl ““J lit legally he charge °f ™ T r ~ heading of jushrought. Under executioner, tillable homicide a bringing albout n | th of a «». rififto held justified. A criminal, in n ffiW ho slays a P er * legal or P? llc Vj£“* to prevent him son who is see g par ticular duty from carrying out *\^ bpd . And if any is similarly held ] „ event the . commission oT an he also will of the law. what is called <ex * So, too, w > instance if a man disable homicide. without any indoing a lawful act, ana ftcC ident tention of hurting a 0 f homikills another, he is not g encoun ter, cide. If a an o 0 w n n a nersonal defence or should, m his own ie' lS child or his ■ tsS — We homicide.’ ov nisahle, the man , But to niake it of great ' who kills must be in rglar who has personal risk. I the sta irs is alheen encou^ te householder must ready w + him bowlver tempting not then shoot him, burglar cube the target. tairs .and threattinues to e householden the householder, ana 1S m er can retreat own selfimminent pen , tlie burglar and defence he can sh eKCOSeAt if he kills ln ® other cases-ex-There ar e ™o homic ide has ceedingly r J r<^L‘ s the most notbeen excused. 1 discoveTS Shf both. ■ . must a peaceable But on no accoun * who merely citizen shoot a a great deal threatens his pi P for it may turns to the wo ' , moment of be quite he is not the encounter to saj And nnquesalso in P®” 1 , of is reas onahle in a-ssum- ■ tionably, H h ‘ . • danger, he 1S ing that his> bfe . hi s ■ self-defence, entitled to shoot n must h e rememBut agai , t h e intruder hered that the a provocative, must be aggressive and P