Zimmerman's city outlaws neighborhood watch firearms

[Carl N. Brown]

"If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed" (Exodus 22:2)

Yes, that is a thief breaking into a domicile by night, or a nighttime home invasion; that is not about protecting property: the thief by night in another's dwelling is a threat to life more than to property.

Exodus also calls for a ordinary thief (not a robber) caught by daylight out-of-doors be taken alive and forced to pay restitution, or be sold into slavery if he cannot repay.

 

[Nickel Plated]

"If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed"

That's still very much legal in large parts of the country. It's called Castle Doctrine. The reason being that a "thief" in your house at night while you're home can quickly become a murderer.

 

[Frank Ettin]

That's still very much legal in large parts of the country. It's called Castle Doctrine....

A gross oversimplification (see this Sticky) and also off topic.

Let's get back on track or the thread will be closed.

 

[wildbilll]

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...orhood-watch-chief-cecil-smith-trayvon-martin

We are back on track now.

 

[MrWesson]

Never gonna happen.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes...ing=&URL=0700-0799/0790/Sections/0790.33.html

Ton's of city and counties had laws on the books that went against state law. While illegal the state couldn't do much about it till a couple years ago when they voted to penalize the government officials $5,000 for every offense.

I live in south florida and watched ordinances drop left and right due to this passing.

Someone should email whatever city official is pushing for this in case they dont know.

 

[itsa pain]

Before I speak up.... I must admit to being from the Stone Age....

During my time in law enforcement, 1973 to 1995, the Neighborhood Watch that my department sponsored (small city in northern Dade county, near Miami) also specifically stated that no one (licensed or not) was allowed to carry when working as a Neighborhood Watch member. Now in this era, armed citizens were a great rarity so it was hardly an issue... I can say with authority that no city attorney would ever have agreed that it would be a good idea for any Neighborhood Watch to be armed in any fashion since the City would be directly liable for any consequences...

Fast forward to this year and regardless of the Zimmerman case or whether it did or did not involve his local Watch.... I'd be very surprised if any police department or municipality would sanction their Watch members being armed while acting as an affiliate of their city. The liability involved would just be too great. I know that most members of that support the right to carry, etc. will be up in arms (so to speak) about this but the liability to any government agency sponsoring any type of citizen's volunteer group with anyone carrying a firearm would be too great to agree to....

I guess cops don't like any competition, might get laid off lose multimillion dollar pension. if leos were half as great as they think they are there would be no need for watch patrols

 

[captmoto]

"Neighborhood Watch" is a trademarked name. In their charter they call out specifically NO confrontation and NO firearms. They are an observe and report group only. If one of their charter members kills or is killed, I can see where they could be sued. Maybe not successfully but still a pain in the ass. Any home owners group that wants to go the armed volunteer route is putting their ass way out in the wind.

 

[dbp]

Police Chief is already backing off after the negative response he got!

http://http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/trayvon-shooting-town-does-180-on-gun-ban/

 

[docsleepy]

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...ce-chief-chief-cecil-smith-neighborhood-watch

Chief of Police there puts out a much more thoughtful statement --
1. People in a specific POLICE program will be unable to carry firearms (FS allows that I think)
2. People who are volunteer neighborhood watch members are LEGALLY ABLE to carry firearms (tip of the had to 790.33) but are DISCOURAGED from doing so (which is his right to say whatever he thinks, I believe)
3. Primary goal of neighborhood watch is to CALL THE POLICE (well stated).

Sounds to me like some review of the Statutes has been going on. They've been in the courts entirely too much down there in Sanford, no reason to INVITE another visit!

 

[docsleepy]

I didn't see dbp's post somehow.....