Mother of Dead Criminal “Outraged” That Self-defense Is Legal in California

I’m more shocked than outraged that it is legal. Mother of Man Shot Dead During Truck Break-In Outraged – NBC 7 San Diego

Families of dead criminals are often outraged that self-defense is legal. This is one of those cases.

He showed up in a stolen-vehicle and was in the process of breaking into another vehicle when he was confronted by the homeowner/owner of the truck in question. The confrontation resulted in several shots from a .357 magnum revolver being fired at the criminal. He drove away in his previously-stolen vehicle, in which he crashed and died.

Here’s the thing that is surprising.

“In the state of California, you are allowed to defend your property. You’ve worked for your property,” [former District Attorney, now a Criminal Defense Attorney, Paul] Pfingst said. “A person’s car could be critical to their livelihood and you don’t have to let someone steal your property. You’re allowed to stop them.”

Pfingst said that includes using deadly force if the attempted burglary or other crime a person is trying to stop is a felony.

Whether it was a felony or not depends on more “what ifs” than I care to go into. But suffice it to say, proving it wasn’t lawful self-defense is beyond the grasp of that DA.

Self-defense is a human-right, and even in California it is your legal right.