chaim
Member
OK, I am pretty loyal to my friends. I have this friend I have known since high school who can be an idiot sometimes and quite the hot head. Well, he's finally done it and gotten into trouble, though this time it isn't really his fault.
He was at the bar where he works the other day (Wen night) and some guys came in at closing (my friend was there drinking after he got off work). The bartender told them they were closing. The guys got abusive. The bar tender asked them to leave. During this my friend was minding his business when one of these guys noticed him. The guy remembered my friend from HS and accused him of beating up his cousin back then (15-17 years ago). He proceeded to try to start a fight with my friend. He finally (after some verbal escalation) hit my friend. My friend hit him back immediately dropping him.
This is where the real trouble started. One of the guy's friends then attacked my friend, strangling him until he passed out and then kicking him while he was passed out (he was unconscious for around 15 minutes according to the witnesses). Anyway, Howard County police being what they are, they refused to make an arrest ("it was "only" a bar fight" ). All the witnesses felt that the guy was trying to kill my friend.
Anyway, my friend filed a complaint with the police (one against the officers for not making an arrest, and another a criminal complaint against his attackers). Anyway, when he meets with the prosecutor later this week to determine what charges are appropriate the commissioner suspects the final charges may be attempted murder (against the strangler).
Here is the current problem. The guy turns out to be a real piece of work (the police sgt that took the complaint and the court commissioner through whom my friend made out the charges both knew who this guy is and suggested that my friend may be in danger for filing charges). He is on parole and has violated it through these charges. He has a long history of violence and is apparently very involved in the drug trade.
There is some chance according to the court commissioner and the cops that with this guy now facing long jail time (violation of parole, previous sentence finished out, and now new jail time for at least felony assult and possibly attempted murder) he is a real danger. He has nothing to lose and will see my friend as responsible (for filing charges).
Anyway, this friend is certainly in danger and normally I might lend him a gun, but he is a major hothead (he is talking about camping out in front of the guy's house to "help" the police catch him ). He is only talking about using a cell phone to call the cops and concealment to keep from being noticed, but this is stupid, and maybe dangerous. I don't want him doing something stupid in the name of self defense, or worse, "proactive" defense, while using my gun. However, he is in danger. I suggested a long gun (isn't really suitable to concealment and carry, HD only, so he is less likely to do something stupid). I also suggested pepper spray so he has something away from home and I suggested starting the process to apply for a CCW license (you never know, in MD it is unlikely but with a bonafide threat, maybe...) in case he does get a handgun so at least he will be legal when carrying (he is someone who would definately carry legal or not). Again though, this isn't someone that should have a handgun (when he had one in the past he carried illegally and bragged about brandishing during a disagreement with a neighbor in order to intimidate him).
What would you do? This is a friend who I don't want to see hurt, but he also has no common sense and certainly is impulsive, quick to anger and never thinks things through. I simply lent him some money (he is in hiding and quit his job since the guy knows where he works) so he can do what he will do, and I talked him out of his "surveilance" plan.
Also, a few of my friends and myself spent a lot of time visiting him when he was working at the bar. If this guy is as dangerous as the cops suggest he likely will be going to the bar looking for my friend. Several of the employees there if scared enough could possibly tell the guy about my friends and myself being this friend's friend. There is a chance (albeit, likely to be small) that he could look for me in order to try to find my friend. This is not a state where CCW is legal. What should I do? I am already good about carrying a knife and pepper spray. I will have to be extra sure I always have it. I am half thinking about carrying my Taurus 85 despite the law (I certainly would if I knew this guy was looking for me to get to my friend). This guy is dangerous- he is a mid level drug dealer and trafficer so he could easily pose a problem.
He was at the bar where he works the other day (Wen night) and some guys came in at closing (my friend was there drinking after he got off work). The bartender told them they were closing. The guys got abusive. The bar tender asked them to leave. During this my friend was minding his business when one of these guys noticed him. The guy remembered my friend from HS and accused him of beating up his cousin back then (15-17 years ago). He proceeded to try to start a fight with my friend. He finally (after some verbal escalation) hit my friend. My friend hit him back immediately dropping him.
This is where the real trouble started. One of the guy's friends then attacked my friend, strangling him until he passed out and then kicking him while he was passed out (he was unconscious for around 15 minutes according to the witnesses). Anyway, Howard County police being what they are, they refused to make an arrest ("it was "only" a bar fight" ). All the witnesses felt that the guy was trying to kill my friend.
Anyway, my friend filed a complaint with the police (one against the officers for not making an arrest, and another a criminal complaint against his attackers). Anyway, when he meets with the prosecutor later this week to determine what charges are appropriate the commissioner suspects the final charges may be attempted murder (against the strangler).
Here is the current problem. The guy turns out to be a real piece of work (the police sgt that took the complaint and the court commissioner through whom my friend made out the charges both knew who this guy is and suggested that my friend may be in danger for filing charges). He is on parole and has violated it through these charges. He has a long history of violence and is apparently very involved in the drug trade.
There is some chance according to the court commissioner and the cops that with this guy now facing long jail time (violation of parole, previous sentence finished out, and now new jail time for at least felony assult and possibly attempted murder) he is a real danger. He has nothing to lose and will see my friend as responsible (for filing charges).
Anyway, this friend is certainly in danger and normally I might lend him a gun, but he is a major hothead (he is talking about camping out in front of the guy's house to "help" the police catch him ). He is only talking about using a cell phone to call the cops and concealment to keep from being noticed, but this is stupid, and maybe dangerous. I don't want him doing something stupid in the name of self defense, or worse, "proactive" defense, while using my gun. However, he is in danger. I suggested a long gun (isn't really suitable to concealment and carry, HD only, so he is less likely to do something stupid). I also suggested pepper spray so he has something away from home and I suggested starting the process to apply for a CCW license (you never know, in MD it is unlikely but with a bonafide threat, maybe...) in case he does get a handgun so at least he will be legal when carrying (he is someone who would definately carry legal or not). Again though, this isn't someone that should have a handgun (when he had one in the past he carried illegally and bragged about brandishing during a disagreement with a neighbor in order to intimidate him).
What would you do? This is a friend who I don't want to see hurt, but he also has no common sense and certainly is impulsive, quick to anger and never thinks things through. I simply lent him some money (he is in hiding and quit his job since the guy knows where he works) so he can do what he will do, and I talked him out of his "surveilance" plan.
Also, a few of my friends and myself spent a lot of time visiting him when he was working at the bar. If this guy is as dangerous as the cops suggest he likely will be going to the bar looking for my friend. Several of the employees there if scared enough could possibly tell the guy about my friends and myself being this friend's friend. There is a chance (albeit, likely to be small) that he could look for me in order to try to find my friend. This is not a state where CCW is legal. What should I do? I am already good about carrying a knife and pepper spray. I will have to be extra sure I always have it. I am half thinking about carrying my Taurus 85 despite the law (I certainly would if I knew this guy was looking for me to get to my friend). This guy is dangerous- he is a mid level drug dealer and trafficer so he could easily pose a problem.