I was presented with a situation earlier this week and was thinking of how the situation could've been handled differently. Upon speaking about this with some others, some agreed with me that the following hypothetical would've been self-defense. Others disagreed and thought it could go as far as pre-meditated, so I wanted to run this past my INGO friends and see what you all thought. I would love to hear from LEO's and/or lawyers.
A co-worker of mine (we'll call M) was texting with her ex-husband (we'll call K) and apparently got in some kind of argument. She was out with her boyfriend (we'll call L) at the time and K texted that when M got home, he was going to beat her up. L and M do currently live together and K lives elsewhere. M, fearing for her safety called the police. (Keep in mind, I haven't heard this story first hand... all the info I got has been 2nd and 3rd hand) M claims that the police told her that unless K was at her house, there wasn't anything they could do. Since she wasn't at her home, she couldn't confirm whether or not K was there, so the police did nothing. Of course when M and L got home, K was there with two others and did in fact beat them up. So bad in fact that L was in critical care for 2 days.
This is an abbreviated version of what I understand happened. I suggested to others (not to M) that if the police said there was nothing they could do, why didn't she call someone who could've come as back up, like myself. Of course, if she had called me, I would've brought my gun(s) to defend myself and M and L from the likely chance that K would've been there. I also suggested that if she then called the police back to say she called a friend who was bringing a gun, the police would've been more likely to come, probably diffusing the entire situation.
That being the circumstance, would the use of my gun been justified as defense of a forcible felony of aggravated battery on my friends/co-workers? Or would knowingly bringing a gun to a likely fight be considered something else? One person I talked to suggested that may go so far as pre-meditated.
Thoughts?
A co-worker of mine (we'll call M) was texting with her ex-husband (we'll call K) and apparently got in some kind of argument. She was out with her boyfriend (we'll call L) at the time and K texted that when M got home, he was going to beat her up. L and M do currently live together and K lives elsewhere. M, fearing for her safety called the police. (Keep in mind, I haven't heard this story first hand... all the info I got has been 2nd and 3rd hand) M claims that the police told her that unless K was at her house, there wasn't anything they could do. Since she wasn't at her home, she couldn't confirm whether or not K was there, so the police did nothing. Of course when M and L got home, K was there with two others and did in fact beat them up. So bad in fact that L was in critical care for 2 days.
This is an abbreviated version of what I understand happened. I suggested to others (not to M) that if the police said there was nothing they could do, why didn't she call someone who could've come as back up, like myself. Of course, if she had called me, I would've brought my gun(s) to defend myself and M and L from the likely chance that K would've been there. I also suggested that if she then called the police back to say she called a friend who was bringing a gun, the police would've been more likely to come, probably diffusing the entire situation.
That being the circumstance, would the use of my gun been justified as defense of a forcible felony of aggravated battery on my friends/co-workers? Or would knowingly bringing a gun to a likely fight be considered something else? One person I talked to suggested that may go so far as pre-meditated.
Thoughts?