for once the cops get it right... (Met chief backs attacking burglars)

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Anarchy 2 : One Thread

LONDON (Reuters) - Householders should be allowed to use extreme force to protect themselves against intruders even if it results in the death of a burglar, senior police chief Sir John Stevens has been quoted as saying.

London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Stevens, due to step down in January, told Saturday's Daily Telegraph the law should presume that the person had acted lawfully.

"Of course you don't want to have gratuitous or excessive violence ... but you have to be given the power to use what is necessary," the outgoing commissioner said in an interview.

People who defended their families or property should face prosecution for injuries inflicted only in "extreme circumstances", he added.

"My own view is that people should be allowed to use what force is necessary and that they should be allowed to do so without any prosecution."

"I'm not talking about guns but people being allowed to defend themselves and use whatever is necessary to defend themselves against someone who may well be armed with a knife."

Stevens said the existing law allowing people to use "reasonable force" to resist intruders, seemed to be weighted against householders, leaving them confused about their rights.

His remarks came after Wednesday's arrest of a man in connection with the murder of high-profile financier John Monckton, a killing that stunned London's business community.

Monckton, the 49-year-old head of bond dealing at Legal & General Investment Management, was stabbed at his plush Chelsea home on Monday. He died later in hospital. Monckton's wife Homeyra, 45, was also attacked and is recovering in serious condition after emergency surgery.

The question of a person's right to defend themselves was also raised in 1999 when reclusive farmer Tony Martin shot and killed a 16-year-old burglar. Martin served two-thirds of a five-year sentence for manslaughter but received wide support for his action.

-- blah (bla@h.blah), December 04, 2004

Answers

bout damned time. Its getting ridiculous and judge wolfe ought to be barred from practicing law.

-- ho hum (monkeysee@monkeydo.com), December 05, 2004.

Some of these "laws" seem to favor the criminals instead of the victims. That really sucks!! I hope that idiot of a "judge" gets disbarred and a REAL judge straightens this mess out!

-- (ain't tellin' @ you.com), December 13, 2004.

i move to have myself disbarred for my last remark.

-- (rooster.lawyer@futur.ama), December 14, 2004.

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