To stop a burglar

He apparently sliced open the burglars torso and almost severed off his hand.  The burglar died at the scene.  Home security FTW!

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...AR2009091503930.html

Wow.

Where did it say he sliced his torso open?

I heard it on the morning radio on my drive to work (1010 Wins).

I have a feeling there is more to this story than what has been reported.  Keep your eyes open and let's see what comes out as time goes by. I am betting this guy does time.

T

I'm not so sure, unless details come out that lead to the student's side of the story being made up.

I read that the burgler just got out of the clink the weekend prior and the student's house was burglerized shortly after. Its likley this guy was involved and came back for more stuff. I doubt the guy is going to do any serious time, I'd say a slap on the wrist. A recent history of being victomized, an intruder in your basement, and the guy (supposedly) lunges at you.

This is no different than if you had a butcher knife and defended yourself. You also have the right to kill if you fell you are in imminent danger, even with the use of a gun (though it better be a registered one!). Unless the defense part is bogus, he'll walk with a handshake from the cops off camera and get some time of slap from the judge if they do anything at all. From the article I saw, the cops arrived while there was a commotion, calls for help. The sword attack was while the cops were onsight and outside. Again, early reports can be bogus, but if that is true, I doubt we'll see the student up on any serious charges.

The only reason we are reading about this story at all is because of the glamorous nature of the response, a 3 foot samurai sword. If it were a kitchen knife, no press lol.

Multiple wounds vs 1 or 2 wounds.  That's what the ME has to see and that is what will make the case.  If the burglar died from A wound, struck to the head, chest, or other major organ and died... then it can be played out as self defense.  If the burglar was stabbed repeatedly and very little defensive wounds... then the college kid is going to get tried for murder.

The threat of life is what makes the logic here.  If the college kid caught the thief, the thief lunged, and the kid fell back with sword pointing straight out and burglar impaled himself on sword (a la "300" scene with the wolf and spear), then self defense.  If the college kid hit the thief, thief went down hurt, and then college kid deliver a coup de grace... it's murder 2 for the kid.