Right Place, Right Time, Wrong Victim

[slyc_willie]

Love to hear about stuff like this.

Way to go man.

MJL

Good valuie, Slyc!

One for the good guys!

Thanks, both of you. It was an interesting evening.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Interestingly enough, had he not been armed, I could have been arrested for hitting him, for the same reasons why a licensed boxer would be arrested.

"My whole body is a lethal weapon."

*cough*nevergunnahappen*cough*

You would need to figure out what consitutes being trained as a lethal weapon, something that the masters of the martial arts world will never agree on, and will never let themshelves be judged by each other like that to be classified as lethal weapons...

Then I hit him.

He never saw it coming. I was relieved to find that I could still be that fast. Crushed the kid's nose, then disarmed him (I believe I broke his wrist when i twisted it; oh, well) and locked his arm behind his back, forcing him down. He's yelling and cursing, telling me he's got brothers and friends who'll find me and kill me, yadda, yadda, yadda.

He deserved it.

I got the usual speech from the cops once they had the guy in custody and ran a check to make sure I didn't have any warrants. "It's not up to you to be a hero," the officer told me.

Not true. The police are there to round up people after the fact. It's up to everyone as individuals to take care of their own problems in the here and now. You did good. I'm proud of you

 

[slyc_willie]

*cough*nevergunnahappen*cough*

You would need to figure out what consitutes being trained as a lethal weapon, something that the masters of the martial arts world will never agree on, and will never let themshelves be judged by each other like that to be classified as lethal weapons...



He deserved it.




Not true. The police are there to round up people after the fact. It's up to everyone as individuals to take care of their own problems in the here and now. You did good. I'm proud of you

I've always wondered about that. The "lethal weapon" aspect. I suppose, following my training, I was told that as a sort of 'better to be safe than sorry' policy. But I do know of a local Golden Gloves boxer who was arrested on assault and battery charges because he defended himself against a drunk.

Same with what the cops told me, I suppose. The officer I spoke with, a sergeant, was pretty cool. He gave me the impression that he was glad someone had stopped this guy (if he was the same one who had been mugging people in the area), but perhaps what he said was a way of saying, 'good job, but don't think you can do it again.'

 

[lisa123414]

*cough*nevergunnahappen*cough*

You would need to figure out what consitutes being trained as a lethal weapon, something that the masters of the martial arts world will never agree on, and will never let themshelves be judged by each other like that to be classified as lethal weapons...



He deserved it.




Not true. The police are there to round up people after the fact. It's up to everyone as individuals to take care of their own problems in the here and now. You did good. I'm proud of you

Gee Thee - I used to live near Newark (Bllomfield, which probably means something only to you), and I was way more timid there than where I live now, which is less.. urban. In any case, I wonder about meeting up with a mugger. My only thought would be to try to live through it. I agee though, who was it Goetz, who shot a mugger and set precedence in the area? Its a jungle out there, am thinking right now how glad I am to be here, with the door locked!

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Gee Thee - I used to live near Newark (Bllomfield, which probably means something only to you), and I was way more timid there than where I live now, which is less.. urban. In any case, I wonder about meeting up with a mugger. My only thought would be to try to live through it. I agee though, who was it Goetz, who shot a mugger and set precedence in the area? Its a jungle out there, am thinking right now how glad I am to be here, with the door locked!

There is a martial arts school in Bloomfield that I almost went to. I drove by it. Terrible neighborhood with no parking. I never stopped my car.

And yes, Bernard Goetz got into a lot of trouble for shooting muggers on the NYC subway. He went about it all wrong though. Using a concealed firearm and all. If he had just beaten them down with his briefcase (this might not have been physically possible for him, being a smaller man and all) he probably would have gotten off with warnings and such. But he used deadly force with a deadly restricted weapon in an overpopulated city in the middle of one of its more violent eras. He screwed up bit time.

And I'm not saying that all people should try to stop their attackers. I am saying that the police aren't always there to protect you, and if an opportunity presents itself for a private citizen to stand up and do the right thing, they should never be punished for seizing that opportunity, and putting the smack down on dissidents.

But running is always also an option, and if that is what you feel comfortable with (I'm sure I would in the wrong situations), than by all means run your ass off. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Lol. After the cops arrived, I asked the same girl who called the police if I could use her bathroom. Hadn't felt the urge all day, but I suddenly had to take a serious piss.

Did she linger admiringly near the closed door while you did?

Good for you, Slyc

 

[TheeGoatPig]

But I do know of a local Golden Gloves boxer who was arrested on assault and battery charges because he defended himself against a drunk.

While there is no such thing as a person being registered as a lethal weapon, there is a such thing as being twice someone's size, strength, or skill in a fight, and using that advantage to be excessively brutal about it.

for instance, if I am ever in a similar situation I am either going to the hospital for not having the skills to back up my bravado, or I'm going to jail for killing my attacker. Or running like a coward. I've never been challenged like that, so I really shouldn't rule out anything

 

[lisa123414]

No, no, no - Thee, I absolutely agree with you! After all, Goetz was exhonorated, right? We do need to stand up for ourselves. Probably each person who stands up to a potential mugger, or rapist, or whatever, sends a message and helps out many future posssible victims. I guess I just wish we did not have to. Naive, yes, I know, but we need to take back our freedoms.

 

[slyc_willie]

While there is no such thing as a person being registered as a lethal weapon, there is a such thing as being twice someone's size, strength, or skill in a fight, and using that advantage to be excessively brutal about it.

for instance, if I am ever in a similar situation I am either going to the hospital for not having the skills to back up my bravado, or I'm going to jail for killing my attacker. Or running like a coward. I've never been challenged like that, so I really shouldn't rule out anything

Well, I have heard the phrase 'lethal weapon' being used to refer to someone's close-quarters skill. But, now that I think of it, I don't think it was used in any 'legal' way, as a sort of differentiating definition.

So maybe it's just a convenient label.

As far as running, that really was not an option. After eight hours on my feet, with my blood clotting condition, I simply would not have been able to run too well.

To be honest, I didn't really think about it.

 

[rgraham666]

Good work, slyc. Glad you're OK.

 

[slyc_willie]

Did she linger admiringly near the closed door while you did?

Good for you, Slyc

Lol. Don't know about that.

Thanks, Stella.

 

[slyc_willie]

Good work, slyc. Glad you're OK.

Hey, it's not my time, yet.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Okay the lethal weapon bit is starting to give me a giggle and its your own fault with those av's of yours

Amazing babe and glad your safe

 

[English Lady]

I'm glad this story hasd a happy outcome glad you're safe, love.

My mum once caught a burgler, twice her size but half as crafty. She held him with his arm up his back 'til the police arrived. *shakes head* my mum does and then thinks afterwards.

 

[Lisa Denton]

No, no, no - Thee, I absolutely agree with you! After all, Goetz was exhonorated, right? We do need to stand up for ourselves. Probably each person who stands up to a potential mugger, or rapist, or whatever, sends a message and helps out many future posssible victims. I guess I just wish we did not have to. Naive, yes, I know, but we need to take back our freedoms.

Goetz beat all criminal charges except the illegal carrying of a weapon, not sure if he served any time. He's totally fucked however because the pussy judges in civil courts found him guilty and he owes millions.

I saw that movie "The Brave One" a little while ago, reminded me of the Goetz case. Without giving anything away the movie has a surprise ending.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Congratulations!

I had a similar adventure 13 years ago. A very BIG lad came in the hospital and pulled a knife on me in my office. His voices were ordering him to kill someone, and that was me. The police SWAT team eventually showed up and stood around outside burning cigarettes and talking on their radios. I finally took the knife away from the kid and tied him up. Then the cops came inside.

They wouldnt arrest the guy, but wanted to arrest me for calling them god-damned pussies.

We had people walk in the door with weapons all the time. Knives, pistols, even a hand grenade on one occasion.

But I admire what you did with the mugger!

 

[Pure]

dear slyc,

good moves, etc.!

BUT what do you advise the rest of us untrained pussies to do, in this situation?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

PURE

My advice to everyone, and I say this in court all the time: A court order wont stop a bullet and the cops usually get to you after youre dead or hurt. So you need to rely on yourself. I encourage people to carry a weapon of some kind, and learn how to physically control a violent person. There are short courses that teach how to do it. You dont need to be Chuck Norris to take care of yourself.

I encourage women to carry small calibre pistols in their purses, and shoot the SOB where it hurts. If the women in the insurance office had a little gun they wouldnt have been burned.

 

[Liar]

Good fer you , Slyc. I almost feel sorry for the guy. Or not.

Hey, anyone whoever tells you they aren't afraid when someone pulls a knife or other weapon is bullshitting.

Or like me, too dense to realize you might actually be in trouble, until five minutes later.

"Give me your money", the mugger said. "Uh...no?" I said and walked on. Guy was too stunned to react untill I was too far away and too much in sight of other people to do anything. Then, after a few minutes, just as I was about to board the subway home, my pulse started racing and I had the sudden urge to run somewhere.

Looking back, it might not have been the most prudent of moves.

 

[adetaildiva]

I often walk home from work, even if it is dark. I've never had any problems on my normal route from the restaurant to my apartment, which lies about a mile away, maybe less. Usually, the walk is a good way to unwind from the often high-stress environment of the restaurant.

My route takes me first to a little convenience store for smokes and, as tonight, sometimes beer. Then I cross the street, cut through one apartment complex on my way to the one where I live. There're quite a few shadowed alleys between buildings, but I've never felt anxious walking through them.

Tonight, as I cut through the first complex, a guy sitting beneath a tree calls out, asking me if I've got a cigarette. Skinny kid. Wearing jeans and a heavy sweatshirt. One of millions I've seen in my life. Being the gracious guy I am, I take out my case, offer him a smoke. He takes it, then produces a knife.

Wow. A mugger. Imagine that.

Now, I spent four and a half years active duty in the Army. I went through a lot of training, from the banal to the, shall we say, interesting. Haven't had much call to use the more interesting skills since 1995 . . . until tonight.

He tried to give me some kind of practiced speech, something about, "Don't make a big deal, it's just money, so give me all of it."

I set my bag on the ground.

Then I hit him.

He never saw it coming. I was relieved to find that I could still be that fast. Crushed the kid's nose, then disarmed him (I believe I broke his wrist when i twisted it; oh, well) and locked his arm behind his back, forcing him down. He's yelling and cursing, telling me he's got brothers and friends who'll find me and kill me, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Of course, that got some attention from the buildings around us, and I noticed a girl come out on her balcony not too far away. I ask her to call the cops.

They showed up within ten minutes. No fooling. Apparently, there had been quite a few muggings in and near that apartment complex for about a week. Chances are, I had the guy responsible.

I got the usual speech from the cops once they had the guy in custody and ran a check to make sure I didn't have any warrants. "It's not up to you to be a hero," the officer told me.

"I wasn't," I said back. "But I've only been with my girlfriend for a couple months, now, and I'll be damned if some little prick is going to keep me from giving her a good Christmas."

I'm no fan of needless violence, but it's good to know that I still got the skills when I need them.

My first inclination (sp?) is to pop the back o' your head & say "what're you, NUTS?!? The girlfriend & Lit could've lost a potential everafter love & a great friend who happens to be an awesome author, respectively!"

Then, my community-minded persona arrives & says "Good for you & the neighborhood. The police oughta thank you & praise your skills."

Then, my inner Southern woman rears her head, fans herself & says: "Damn, sugar, you're good. Can you come walk me home?"

Do the right thing, sweetie, but please be careful doin' it!!

 

[adetaildiva]

While there is no such thing as a person being registered as a lethal weapon, there is a such thing as being twice someone's size, strength, or skill in a fight, and using that advantage to be excessively brutal about it.

But isn't there a precedence somewhere that, since (s)he has had military or martial arts training, the person knows how to kill or maim the mugger/victim & thus the person's body/hands/feet (whichever) is considered a lethal weapon? Wans't it Mike Tyson after he beat his wife?

Or was that in a movie?

 

[Just-Legal]

But isn't there a precedence somewhere that, since (s)he has had military or martial arts training, the person knows how to kill or maim the mugger/victim & thus the person's body/hands/feet (whichever) is considered a lethal weapon? Wans't it Mike Tyson after he beat his wife?

Or was that in a movie?

That was Con Air.

 

[adetaildiva]

That was Con Air.

Thanx, JL. I really need to read a newspaper every now & then ....

 

[TheeGoatPig]

But isn't there a precedence somewhere that, since (s)he has had military or martial arts training, the person knows how to kill or maim the mugger/victim & thus the person's body/hands/feet (whichever) is considered a lethal weapon? Wans't it Mike Tyson after he beat his wife?

Or was that in a movie?

That was Con Air.

Bingo.

It differs from state to state, but in a lot of places, if someone threatens your life you are allowed to use equal force to retaliate. The man pulled a knife on Slyck. A knife is a deadly weapon. Here in Jersey, and I'd imagine in Texas where he lives (which is one of the looser lawed states in this regard), I'd imagine he is allowed to use deadly force back. He'd have to go to court to prove that he was being mugged, and would most likely get off without more than jail time served while being processed, but he wouldn't get sentenced for it.

Although in some states they will arrest you if you injure the person who attacks you. And sometimes will convit you for hurting them. It's crazy out there.

 

[cantdog]

Still, the best defense against lawsuits, such as the one this guy could conceivably bring for damages, is to have done the right thing. Slyc did not, as some young hotheads do, allow his training to make him think he was badass. He didn't gratuitously carry on injuring the dude once he was reliably subdued, or anything. He didn't even crow over him. A lot of cops have handled the same situation a lot worse.