Shoot; Don't Talk

[Jim Sr]

It may go against everything you see in the movies and hear from idiotic gun-grabbing politicians, but this advice will keep you alive.

When You Have to Shoot, Shoot; Don't Talk​

 

[Sharpeneddark]

And also this advice goes against the law in Maryland. That link's advice recommends that you shoot the guy in the back if that's how you find him. You'd be very, very hard pressed to validate your need for 'self-defense' if the guy is facing away from you. Maryland's castle law specifies that you have to be in fear of your life, so they better be in the direction of your kid's room or something.

But I guess being tried by 12 is better than being carried by 6.

 

[Vile Shadow]

I think maybe Jim's statement was intended in the context of being face-to-face with an armed intruder. I seriously doubt if he was condoning shooting anyone in the back.

Edit: Didn't realize it was a link. Duh!!

 

[Minuteman]

Some good advice in that article, thanks Jim!

 

[MadCat0911]

And also this advice goes against the law in Maryland. That link's advice recommends that you shoot the guy in the back if that's how you find him. You'd be very, very hard pressed to validate your need for 'self-defense' if the guy is facing away from you. Maryland's castle law specifies that you have to be in fear of your life, so they better be in the direction of your kid's room or something.

But I guess being tried by 12 is better than being carried by 6.

I know it's wikipedia, wikipedia says on this that you don't have to be in fear of your life in your own home:

In addition, when one is in one's home, one may use deadly force against an attacker if deadly force is necessary to prevent the attacker from committing a felony that involves the use of force, violence, or surprise (such as murder, robbery, burglary, rape, or arson). See Crawford v. State, 231 Md. 354, 190 A.2d 538 (1963).

"* * * A man is not bound to retreat from his house. He may stand his ground there and kill an[y] person who attempts to commit a felony therein, or who attempts to enter by force for the purpose of committing a felony, or of inflicting great bodily harm upon an inmate. In such a case the owner or any member of the family, or even a lodger in the house, may meet the intruder at the threshold, and prevent him from entering by any means rendered necessary by the exigency, even to the taking of his life, and the homicide will be justifiable."

 

[Dal1as]

No, you do not have to be in fear of your life. There is a lot of gray area in regards to shooting an intruder in the back though.