Other State Self defense not allowed in Connecticut

[Coloradocat]

I have a hard time distinguishing it as 2 separate attacks .Had it been a police officer attacked while eating his favorite jelly donut you damn sure bet he would had the right to pursue and engage.

 

[etrain16]

I have a hard time distinguishing it as 2 separate attacks .Had it been a police officer attacked while eating his favorite jelly donut you damn sure bet he would had the right to pursue and engage.

It would have been one thing to try and make a citizen's arrest, but he used deadly force when the threat was over. Most laws in most states draw a very clear distinction there. That's why you can't run out of your house after a fleeing burglar and shoot them. You'll end up in jail yourself. I had a co-worker quite a few years ago that chased down some burglars with his gun. He didn't fire any shots but was arrested for menacing.

Comparing what we can do vs what LE's are given the authority to do are two different things. They have some additional powers above and beyond what we have. So there is no real life comparison there.

 

[nammac]

Absolutely insane.

Now they are taking away our right to protect ourselves? What are we, sheep?

Evidently, if you live under the draconian laws of the state of Connecticut, yes!!!
BAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!
BAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

 

[cigars]

Good eye. I missed that entirely. And it changes everything and makes the headline a lie. He was attacked and beaten. Then the attackers left the store. Then he ran outside and attacked and stabbed one of the attackers with a knife. That is certainly understandable. But it isn't self defense. It was a new attack that he chose to make. And he presumably didn't get convicted for standing his ground, but for himself initiating an attack. If he had stabbed an attacker in the store during their attack on him, it would probably have been called self defense.

But the guy was attacked first. I would say that that point the adrenaline had kicked in. I think he needs a new jury.

 

[Tarawa86]

Man: "I was just sharpening my knife and it went off! It was an accident"
Police: "Sir, the victim was stabbed 15 times"
Man: "It's a full semi-automatic knife, I couldn't stop it..."

 

[Coloradocat]

Your co worker chased them down no shots fired and was arrested for menacing .i assume he was trying to hold them till police arrived? If that's the case then there is no right way to pursue as a "citizen". You get arrested if you attack, you get arrested if you pursue and hold.All that does is make you a victim if your outnumbered and unarmed .All we are allowed to do now is take your beating and call the police .(if outmatched and unarmed).Once an incident is started its not over till one side or the other gives up ,or both sides had enough.we make a law that says not .if you are beaten down and they walk away it's over.
That may be the law but it don't make it right .IMO

And police should follow the same laws as everyone else .
Cops citizen on patrol?

 

[etrain16]

Your co worker chased them down no shots fired and was arrested for menacing .i assume he was trying to hold them till police arrived? If that's the case then there is no right way to pursue as a "citizen". You get arrested if you attack, you get arrested if you pursue and hold.All that does is make you a victim if your outnumbered and unarmed .All we are allowed to do now is take your beating and call the police .(if outmatched and unarmed).Once an incident is started its not over till one side or the other gives up ,or both sides had enough.we make a law that says not .if you are beaten down and they walk away it's over.
That may be the law but it don't make it right .IMO

And police should follow the same laws as everyone else .
Cops citizen on patrol?

I'm not saying it's right, it's just the law. Those who don't like the law can work to get it changed. Otherwise you either follow it or you don't. Just know there are consequences if you don't, especially in states like Oregon that prefer to protect the criminal over the victim.

As for my co-worker, he was arrested for pursuing them with a gun. LE's can do that, private citizens can't as it doesn't fall under the protection of "self-defense". By the way, he lived in Portland at the time, so that also has to be taken into consideration.

 

[Coloradocat]

He sure got a sh@tty jury

 

[thorborg]

I believe their tune would change if those advocating submission over self defense left their cocoon and was to personally experienced forceful life threatening terror.
They can legislate all they want, and enforce it too, but the reality of it is; self defense and survival are innate and instinctive. Successful ubiquitous suppression of them would not just be an unnatural, and atrocious but ultimately cleanse the gene pool of rational and thinking successful people.

 

[Mister Bisley]

In the spirit of how things are going across the pond, no doubt this event will help lead to knife registration and confiscation, just like they're doing in London these days. Won't be long before toothpicks will be banned for being too pointy.

They'll have to get our guns before all that happens

 

[etrain16]

They'll have to get our guns before all that happens

They're trying to, in some states. Though that's not working out real well

 

[Coloradocat]

how about a different scenario. This guy is getting a beaten , a brave citizen steps in and starts beating the ugly off the three.now all 5 men are getting to it and the same guy pulls his knife and stabs the dude . Fights over they flee .does he face charges now?
Should he?
Instead of sending him to prison he should been commended.if everybody reacted with aggression criminals would be more cautious ........or more violent?

 

[CountryGent]

Under Connecticut law, assault victims cannot use deadly force if they are able to retreat from their attackers.

The inmates are running the asylum.

 

[etrain16]

how about a different scenario. This guy is getting a beaten , a brave citizen steps in and starts beating the ugly off the three.now all 5 men are getting to it and the same guy pulls his knife and stabs the dude . Fights over they flee .does he face charges now?
Should he?
Instead of sending him to prison he should been commended.if everybody reacted with aggression criminals would be more cautious ........or more violent?

It's not complicated - if the attackers are running away you can't continue to use deadly force. Whether someone steps in to help you, while the threat is imminent/under way, is irrelevant. If the bad guys are fleeing, you are no longer protected if you use deadly force. You'd get the same deal in most, if not all other states. Once they run away, then it's up to LE to track them down and arrest them.

 

[Mister Bisley]

Note to self....Stick them with a knife during the fight

 

[Sawdust]

I didn't see anywhere in the article that stated he chased them down and stabbed them. I did see this.

"Judge John Blawie told Sumpter that he believed his version of events, but had to follow the letter of the law.


Under Connecticut law, assault victims cannot use deadly force if they are able to retreat from their attackers. By contrast, 27 states — most notably Florida — have passed so-called "stand-your-ground" laws, which entitle citizens to use force in self-defense if there is a reasonable belief of a threat."

That does not seem right to me.

 

[LuckySG]

In the spirit of how things are going across the pond, no doubt this event will help lead to knife registration and confiscation, just like they're doing in London these days. Won't be long before toothpicks will be banned for being too pointy.

There goes my kebabs! A 12" bamboo skewer is just not to be left out for the general public to have access to. Pencils? I saw Batman, those deadly things need to go. Arrows are an obvious one, same for bolts, those sketchy crossbow owners!

My question is where do those that want to restrict anything that can inflict harm plan to put them all? You can't burn all that stuff without releasing some nasty toxins so that will slow them down for fear of wrecking the environment.

 

[Vaultman]

One little fact left out: "After being assaulted inside the coffee shop, Sumpter ran outside and stabbed one of the men."
Victim of Norwalk assault gets 18 months for not retreating

Mostly I find that when something sounds crazy, what's reported isn't a complete story - dare I say "fake news.".

Interesting because the article in the OP says: "During the assault, Sumpter stabbed one of them in the leg."

Key word: DURING!

Do I hear someone slanting the news?

 

[Cerberus Group]

We are being forced to shoot, shovel, and shut up...or in this case...stab, shovel, and shut up. UGH!

 

[OldBroad44]

I didn't see anywhere in the article that stated he chased them down and stabbed them. I did see this.

"Judge John Blawie told Sumpter that he believed his version of events, but had to follow the letter of the law.


Under Connecticut law, assault victims cannot use deadly force if they are able to retreat from their attackers. By contrast, 27 states — most notably Florida — have passed so-called "stand-your-ground" laws, which entitle citizens to use force in self-defense if there is a reasonable belief of a threat."

That does not seem right to me.

The article said the 3 bad guys left the store, and attackee knifed bad guy outside of store. Unless bad guys carried attackee outside, he must have gone out after fight ended, essentially, technically starting a new fight. I doubt any of us like the fact that the attackee went to jail. Sounds like judge didn't like it either. But if attackee had stayed in store at that point he was not under attack and in no danger.

Article certainly wasn't as clear as it could be. But stand-your-ground does not seem to be involved. It would be stand-your-ground if guy attacked in store had been able to flee but instead knifed or shot attackers while in store under attack. My guess is in that case it would have been called self defense because its never going to be obvious that an attackee CAN run given confined spaces and three attackers.