Originally posted by Fierceknucks
California law: If someone did a b&e on your house (breaking and entering) and is threatening your life physically, you have the right to defend yourself by any means. The law goes into further detail saying that if you must use a firearm, you can not shoot the person in the back as this is a sign of the intruder leaving the premises.
Now, you could always just shoot the guy right in the head, dead man tell no tales. The thing is, shooting someone, in the dark... is hard. You have no chance if you have a pistol, I don't care how great a shot you are.. A shotgun is your best bet. Double 0 buck shells, aim high.
I live in an apartment, there's no way out but the front door. My only choice to is protect my lady and defend myself, and that means murdering the murderer by any means necessary.
I live in Canada. This is mostly true for here. I just finished a criminology course a little while back (not saying I know more then anyone). Say if someone breaks into your home and is holding a gun. You do have the right do defend yourself bny any means, that does not mean you can kill them. Say the person enters your house. You get a rush and jump him down. If the sitution is under control you cannot take it further then it has to go. I.E you cannot beat someone down and continue to kick them for 10 mins giving them brain damage at the end. There are alot more to laws then alot of people think.
But all in all I also live in an apartment with my girl and my kid. So with human instinct I totally agree with you. Doesn't mean the law will.