Farmer Charged with Shooting Intruder… Floored by Unexpected Surprise in Courtroom

According to CTV News, a farmer from a rural area near Calgary fired a shotgun at intruders who were prowling on his property in February. It worked: The suspects fled, and one was later found with a non-life-threatening shotgun injury to his arm. . . .

Government officials want to make an example out of the farmer, but when he arrived at court Friday, he was faced with something neither he nor prosecutors likely expected: a crowd of residents who came to support the landowner and his right to protect his family . . .

“Why do the criminals have all the rights? It doesn’t seem fair to me,” explained one supporter. “They’re telling us that if we live in the country that we should get gates and lock them. We become prisoners on our own land because of criminals.”

In an increasingly litigious time, Americans — and Canadians, for that matter — must know what the law in their area says about the use of force. There are many misconceptions and myths about defense law, and the time to become educated is before a self defense situation arises.

We cannot comment on Canadian law, but many states in the U.S. stipulate that there must be an imminent threat of bodily harm or death for a firearm to be used in self defense. Though Maurice may have been morally right to defend his property from prowlers, the jury is still out — if you’ll pardon the expression — on whether he was legally justified. (Read more from “Farmer Charged with Shooting Intruder… Floored by Unexpected Surprise in Courtroom” HERE)

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