Self-defense or murder? (video) Ruger PC carbine used in Texas on front porch

[Suck My Glock]

My understanding is that Texas gives more latitude when trespassers refuse to leave. But I'm thinking even in Texas, this is a bad shoot.

It also shows the limitations of a long gun for CQB. The little guy never should have let the big guy get so close that he couldn't butt-stroke him first. That larger dude could have easily wrested the carbine away from him,...although a risky dangerous move.

In my opinion that is uneducated on Texas law,...I think the shooter would have been justified is pointing the carbine at the aggressor. And if the big guy made another threatening move,...maybe THEN there might have been some justification. But as it appears to play out, I think the shooter went just one step further than he was legally allowed. But I'll let someone more familiar with Texas domicile rules inform me. CrippledTrigger,...calling CrippledTrigger.

[Ballistic Therapy]

Not sure how it is today , but if I remember right , it used to be in Texas that you could shoot trespassers , but only after dark.

This does not look good if you ask me.

[Dat_Ginga]

I have no idea about the law in Texas but this doesn't look like good shoot to me either. Maybe the law in Texas allows this but I have hard time believing what happened in this video can be considered a good shoot.

[baja]

A little extreme but the perp refused to leave, got right in the homeowners face and then (like in the Rittenhouse case) the perp grabbed the gun and I think at that point it was self defense.
That said, would have preferred a different outcome.

[Drmark]

So, we're going to continue to argue while the dude is lying on the front porch?

[Blue109]

Domestic disturbances with custody/children involved are always a shitshow thanks to our corrupt garbage family law system. It literally drives people insane.

[Boriqua]

I watched that a couple times. Tough one to call from a legal standpoint. Not how i would have handled it but that doesnt mean it is or isnt a good shoot.

Will say its ugly.

If the story is correct ... The ex was a piece of $hit and brought this whole mess on and now one man down and another may be going to jail.

[Dauph]

Believe the Texas Castle Doctrine is your property line and not just your home.

Ugly situation that could have been avoided.

[Cmoor]

Looks legit to me maybe on the boarder though. The perp did get aggressive and try to man handle the guy on his own property and it appeared he tried to grab the guy and weapon too. Anytime a firearm comes out it is time to leave or distance yourself from it. The guy had plenty of time and warning to leave but, his ego got him killed.

I look at this in a survival situation. Do not be the stupid one when it is likely you will be the one getting hurt. Even if you are in the right if you end up dead, you are still dead...

[pneuby]

Sorry, if he couldn't muster the self-restraint to remain in his own house, then....
....a nice blast of the old Bear-Spray would've been the appropriate thing to do.

Wonderful how the decedent's lady-kin continue to stand-by kvetchin' 'n moaning instead of
rendering aid and calling for same.

[Rock Hardson]

Murder

So many other avenues to be taken

[Crippledtrigger]

So far no charges. Alot will depend on what happened before the video. As I understand it,Technically it wasnt the shooters house but he was staying there. The dead guy was allowed to be there to pick up his kids which the mom was apparently playing games about.

Some speculate the mom, a judge by the way, was playing them against each other to get rid of both. Again wild ass speculation. I heard her divorce was final 2 weeks after the incident and she dumped the shooter too. Probably because the dead dads family was trying to take the kids from her for allowing the dads killer to stay in the picture.

The dead guy also made a threat about taking the gun and "something" just before he tries to grab it. What that something is I cant hear.

There was a negligent discharge at the dead guys feet too.

So, legally not a lawyer or expert but you cant escalate an argument then claim self defense unless you try to disengage or break off and the "attacker" presses his attack. Again everyone pretty much agrees that the events that played out before the video will impact weather he is charged or not. On the surface most think bad shoot. He went in and brought a gun into a verbal argument, and continued the escalation with the negligent discharge. Then the dead guy made a threat. He never tried to stop the incident. I'm not saying he has a duty to retreat but that you cant introduce a gun into a verbal argument without justification and then claim self defense when the guy grabs it cause technically you escalated the incident.

It will depend on how its presented to the grand jury. The county has given it to the state to investigate cause the mom is a judge.

As for shooting trespassers, you cant just shoot trespassers anytime. Usually it has to be at night and they have to be committing one of a couple other offenses, which can be vague and is why most people get off when they do that. In this case none of that really enters into it because of custody orders and daylight and such. That and just standing in the front yard doesnt raise it to the level where deadly force can be used. Unlike the recent case at night where a guy jumped the fence and was jacking off outside a lady's window and she shot him.

On the surface most think he will get charged. Again some think legally it's close because of the threat made by the dead guy before he grabbed the gun and will depend on how its presented to the grand jury and a great deal on what happened before the video cause the dead guys actions before the gun came out will matter. But, most think, from what info is out there the guy is gonna get charged.

Bottom line is dick measuring contest between dad and moms new boyfriend ruined the kids lives, ended dads life and may the put boyfriend jail or at least ruin him financially.

Displaying the gun seems to be an unjustified escalation of force and the dead guy grabbing it after the discharge doesn't seem unreasonable but there is the threat he made before grabbing it.

Mom who basically started the whole fiasco by ignoring custody orders isnt charged with anything.

[Tenring]

Murder

So many other avenues to be taken

From what I saw and heard, I would have to agree.

[Boriqua]

If dad came and got in an argument with mom because she was playing games with visitation then I kind of think boyfriend should have said to her .. this is your beef leave me out of it.

Now if Dad came over and started slapping mom around because the argument escalated to a physical assault .. maybe .. but I think once you ran in the house to retrieve your weapon .. tough call but I am with Rock on this one. Looks like murder because his feelings got hurt

[tripletap]

im going to be watching this to see how it plays out in court-
obviously no riots over a dead white guy but..