Law of Self Defense

Two days ago, Attorney William Kirk, the President of law firm Washington Gun Law, released a YouTube video on his extremely popular channel (~360,000 subscribers) providing legal analysis of the tragic shooting death of Roger Fortson.The title of that video: "The Florida Man Who Was Executed for Exercising His Constitutional Rights." (Find it here: https://youtu.be/IWepSw11YiA?si=_mxXs...)Given that this analysis was by a fellow attorney popular with the gun community, I eagerly looked forwa...

On Friday, May 3 a Florida deputy responded to a domestic violence call. Arriving at the apartment complex the deputy was met by the woman who'd made the call, who directed him to apartment 1401, in which she believed the violence to be occurring. The deputy knocked on the door, standing on either side for purposes of safety. When the door opened, the deputy was presented with a man with a gun plainly visible in his hand. The deputy immediately drew his service pistol and sh...

It's finally happened--you've encountered "sum dude" who is trying to kill you.Fortunately, you've prepared for this fateful day, and are armed for a deadly force encounter--with a hand grenade. You pull the pin, toss the frag, and BOOM! Problem solved!Or IS it? Can it POSSIBLY be lawful to use a hand grenade to stop your lethal attacker? Even less clear--what if your hand grenade also kills or woulds innocent bystanders? Can THAT possibly be lawful? Join us as we cover a real-world sta...

Suddenly you see another person being threatened with physical violence.You have the means and opportunity to come to their defense. Should you? Are you aware of the very real risks you're incurring if you do so--risks of death and life in prison? Have you thought through the scenarios in which you're willing to incur those risks? For yourself? For your wife and children and others you have a duty to support?Today we discuss these questions in the specific context of a tragic defense of other...

In today's Law of Self Defense Q&A Show we'll address a variety of self-defense law questions, including:[07:37] Is my garage part of my "Castle"? (421)[21:00] What if you mistakenly defend the wrong person you see in a struggle? (423)[32:17] What if I cause collateral damage, or hit a bystander, when shooting in self-defense? (426)[38:39] Can you recommend a defense lawyer/use-of-force expert, just in case I need one? (429)[41:22] Should my lawyer be my first call after a self-defense sh...

At Law of Self Defense we generally talk about the use of defensive force in self-defense against other PEOPLE.But what about the use of force in defense against ANIMALS?The rules of engagement are not at all the same when defending against animals rather than people.Lawful defense against animal attacks topic for today's show, prompted by an attack by a pack of Pit Bulls on a Philadelphia man earlier this week.FREE BOOK! “The Law of Self Defense: Principles”Physical book, 200+ pages, we just...

On Monday, April 29, 2024, around 1:30 p.m., the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was attempting to serve active felony warrants for unlawful felon gun possession and felony flight to elude on 39-year-old convict Terry Clark Hughes, Jr. As officers approached, Hughes began firing at them, striking multiple officers. The officers responded in kind, and the gunfight was on.By the time the smoke cleared, Hughes was dead. Unfortunately, eight of the officers involved had been short, four of them...

An Ohio police officer responds to a call of a man walking around a residential neighborhood pointing a gun at homes. As the officer pulls up, he sees a suspect that matches the description called in. The officer begins to verbally engage with the suspect--and within seconds has fired a shot as he spots an apparent gun in the suspect's hand. The apparent gun would later be determined to be a toy. Ohio happens to be an Open Carry state, meaning it is lawful to openly carry a firearm in p...

Hey folks,This morning I was a guest on the American Warrior Society Show, hosted by Rich Brown, to discuss last week's conviction of Nicolae Miu over the Apple River stabbings. We were also joined by my good friend, Dr. TC Fuller.Enjoy the show!BECOME A LAW OF SELF DEFENSE EXPERT IN ONE DAY!Twice a year Attorney Andrew Branca hosts a LIVE full-day Law of Self Defense Advanced Webinar--and one of those rare opportunities is coming up on Saturday, April 20, 2024.Learn how to be HARD TO C...

Discover the surprising things that can be used against you in court, even if you never knew they could be. In the eyes of the law, every decision and choice you make can potentially work against you. Join us as we delve into the intricate workings of the criminal justice system and uncover how seemingly innocent actions can be used as ammunition in a court of law. Stay informed and be prepared. BECOME A LAW OF SELF DEFENSE EXPERT IN ONE DAY!Twice a year Attorney Andrew Branca hosts a LIVE fu...

Join me LIVE as I delve into Alec Baldwin's legal defense team's outrageous antics in the trial for the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust." With arguments that seem more fit for a soap opera than a courtroom, Baldwin's defense team is making waves with their emotionally charged and legally absurd motions. Witness the drama unfold as we analyze the latest developments in this high-profile case. Stay tuned for a breakdown of the wild ride that is the Baldwin leg...

Shocking video has been released showing a North Carolina Department of Transportation worker attempting to use a pistol to prevent the theft of his work truck. He fires several rounds at the thief, who manages to drive the truck away backwards.Unfortunately, the thief then drives the truck back to the scene of conflict, running down and killing the NC DOT worker. The thief has now been charged with murder, larceny of a vehicle, and other crimes--but, of course, the NC DOT worker remains dead...

Watch as a shocking incident unfolds in San Jose, CA, where a group of brazen car thieves steal a Corvette in plain sight of security cameras, knowing they are being filmed, while threatening the owner's life if he attempts to prevent the theft.Should such thieves threatening deadly force to complete their crime themselves be at jeopardy of deadly defensive force by the property owner? Could it possibly be lawful for an armed property owner to simply shoot down such thieves to protect his pro...

Watch as a dramatic incident unfolds on the streets of Philly as a driver transporting a significant amount of cash becomes the target of a brazen armed robbery. The intense confrontation, captured on the victim's dash camera, escalates into a shootout between the two parties. With both individuals armed, the situation quickly turns dangerous, leading to shots being fired and the robber ultimately fleeing the scene. But the question remains, were the parting shots fired by the victim justifie...

Today's Show:In today's show we cover the Courtney Clenney Arthur hearing testimony of the lead investigator, Detective Brecino. Specifically, we cover Brecino's cross-examination by Defense Counsel Frank Prieto.Overview:This week we're covering "OnlyFans Killer" Courtney Clenney, who on April 3, 2022 killed her boyfriend Christian Obumseli with a knife in their Miami apartment. Obumseli suffered a single knife wound to the chest.Clenney would tell investigators that the much larger and heavi...

In today's show, we'll be following a live stream of the trial, Wisconsin v. Zacharia Anderson. This trial resulted in the murder conviction of defendant Anderson, with Anderson sentenced in May 2023 to life in prison.Despite not initially following the trial due to it not being a self-defense case, many respected lawyers concluded that the trial and conviction were a miscarriage of justice. As someone who cares deeply about injustices in the criminal justice system, especially in courts that...

Today's Show:In today's show we cover the Courtney Clenney Arthur hearing testimony of the lead investigator, Detective Brecino. Specifically, we cover Brecino's direct examination by Assistant State's Attorney Khalil Quinan.Overview:This week we're covering "OnlyFans Killer" Courtney Clenney, who on April 3, 2022 killed her boyfriend Christian Obumseli with a knife in their Miami apartment. Obumseli suffered a single knife wound to the chest.Clenney would tell investigators that the much lar...

In this video, we explore the 1939 US Supreme Court decision in US v. Miller, which was the Court's first substantive ruling on the Second Amendment.The case involved Jack Miller and Frank Layton, two individuals with criminal histories, who never appeared in court to argue their side against the Federal government.The decision ultimately ruled that the Second Amendment only protected firearms that were useful to a militia. Fast forward to today, where gun control groups argue the opposite - ...

Today's show is Part 2 of 2 of our reading of the law review article "The Peculiar Story of United States v. Miller," by attorney and legal scholar Brian L. Frye.In 1939, the US Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in US v. Miller, shaping the interpretation of the Second Amendment.This case ruled that the Amendment only protected firearms useful to a militia, sparking debates that continue to this day. Ironically enough, contemporary gun control groups argue the opposite viewpoint, ...

Today's show is Part 1 of 2 of our reading of the law review article "The Peculiar Story of United States v. Miller," by attorney and legal scholar Brian L. Frye.In 1939, the US Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in US v. Miller, shaping the interpretation of the Second Amendment.This case ruled that the Amendment only protected firearms useful to a militia, sparking debates that continue to this day. Ironically enough, contemporary gun control groups argue the opposite viewpoint, ...

In this episode, we delve into the landmark 1966 US Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, which gave rise to the famous "Miranda rights" that are now a staple of police procedures in the United States.Surprisingly, this crucial decision was a close 5-to-4 ruling by the Supreme Court, a fact that is not widely known to the public.Join Attorney Andrew Branca as he breaks down the majority opinion and the three powerful dissents in the Miranda v. Arizona case. In this Part 4 of 4 Andrew reads t...

In this episode, we delve into the landmark 1966 US Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, which gave rise to the famous "Miranda rights" that are now a staple of police procedures in the United States.Surprisingly, this crucial decision was a close 5-to-4 ruling by the Supreme Court, a fact that is not widely known to the public.Join Attorney Andrew Branca as he breaks down the majority opinion and the three powerful dissents in the Miranda v. Arizona case. In this Part 3 of 4 Andrew reads t...

In this episode, we delve into the landmark 1966 US Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, which gave rise to the famous "Miranda rights" that are now a staple of police procedures in the United States.Surprisingly, this crucial decision was a close 5-to-4 ruling by the Supreme Court, a fact that is not widely known to the public.Join Attorney Andrew Branca as he breaks down the majority opinion and the three powerful dissents in the Miranda v. Arizona case. In this Part 1 of 4 Andrew reads t...

In this episode, we delve into the landmark 1966 US Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, which gave rise to the famous "Miranda rights" that are now a staple of police procedures in the United States.Surprisingly, this crucial decision was a close 5-to-4 ruling by the Supreme Court, a fact that is not widely known to the public.Join Attorney Andrew Branca as he breaks down the majority opinion and the three powerful dissents in the Miranda v. Arizona case. In this Part 1 of 4 Andrew reads t...

Today we discuss the troubling reporting of a road-rage incident in which one woman shot both another woman and that other woman’s daughter—both shooting victims survived. The media has been reporting on this event with headlines like this: “No charges for woman who wounded mother, daughter.” The local police department did request from prosecutors an arrest warrant for the shooter. Yet no such warrant was granted. Why not? Surely an out-of-control driver who puts bullets...

In June 2022, Mark Winger, a Texas gun store employee, shot a fleeing thief in the back and was initially charged with murder. However, last week he agreed to a plea bargain deal of eight years deferred adjudication. Despite Texas allowing deadly force in defense of property, there are specific conditions that must be met to stay within the law. Join us as we examine why the Texas justification of defense of property likely did not apply in this case and why Winger's plea deal ...

In today's Part 2 we read the dissent from Ohio v. Wilson.Ohio man Tyler Wilson got into a gas station verbal argument with one Billy Reffet. The argument escalated to the point that Wilson felt obliged to fire warning shots into the night sky, claiming he'd intended to merely frighten Reffet off, rather than to harm him.Wilson would be charged with attempted murder and felonious assault. At trial he attempted to raise the legal defense of self-defense, but the trial judge rejected that reque...

Ohio man Tyler Wilson got into a gas station verbal argument with one Billy Reffet. The argument escalated to the point that Wilson felt obliged to fire warning shots into the night sky, claiming he'd intended to merely frighten Reffet off, rather than to harm him.Wilson would be charged with attempted murder and felonious assault. At trial he attempted to raise the legal defense of self-defense, but the trial judge rejected that request on the grounds that Wilson himself said he merely inten...

IMPORTANT: During this show I mention some ambiguity about the Alec Baldwin trial judge and schedule. I CAN NOW CONFIRM: Judge Morrow will be the judge for Baldwin trial, as she was for the Gutierrez trial, and the Baldwin trial jury selection is schedule for July 8, 2024, and trial is sheduled to begin on July 9 and run through July 19. Yesterday "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez was found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of low-bu...

In this video, we delve into the intriguing interview between Alec Baldwin and George Stephanopoulos. Join us as we provide a critical analysis of the conversation, discussing the key points, body language, and underlying messages conveyed by both parties. From Baldwin's demeanor to Stephanopoulos' probing questions, we break down this thought-provoking interview and offer our insights on the dynamics at play. Stay tuned to gain a deeper understanding of this captivating exchange. If you're i...

In this video, we delve into the ongoing trial of Hannah Gutierrez, who is facing charges of manslaughter and evidence tampering in connection with the tragic shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust."The trial enters its third day of proceedings on Monday, with opening statements already delivered last Thursday. Join us as we provide a brief analysis of the opening statements, highlighting the key points made by both the State and the defense.Understand...

In today's show we cover a variety of use-of-force videos, for lessons learned!First, an angry woman attacks, and the dangers of relying on incomplete videos of use-of-force event!Second, prankster fakes a robbery, and finds out!Third, hard to trust the system when judges act like THIS!Fourth, when fighting over a gun, being first counts!THERE IS ONLY ONE SELF-DEFENSE "INSURANCE" PROVIDER I TRUST!There are lots of self-defense "insurance" companies out there. Some are hot garbage. Some have l...

In 2023, the year after the seminal Supreme Court's Second Amendment decision of Bruen, the state of Illinois chose rebellion and passed into law the most severe gun control law in its 200 year history, effectively banning both "assault weapons" and many other commonly owned firearms.An suit by gun owners brought by gun owners against the new law failed in Federal trial court, and appeal of that decision to the Federal 7th Circuit also failed.Last December the US Supreme Court refused to stay...

Friend of the show Konstadinos Moros (@MorosKosta on Twitter) and fellow lawyer C.D. Michel have written an awesome law review article for the Wyoming Law Review, just published: "Restrictions 'Our Ancestors Would Never Have Accepted': The Historical Case Against Assault Weapon Bans."THERE IS ONLY ONE SELF-DEFENSE "INSURANCE" PROVIDER I TRUST!There are lots of self-defense "insurance" companies out there. Some are hot garbage. Some have limited resources. Some are simply, in my view, untrustw...

A police officer dumped a full mag into a police cruiser with a handcuffed suspect inside, believing he'd just been shot by that suspect's suppressed weapon. A fellow officer then joined in, firing more shots at the cruiser.The problem: There was no suppressed weapon, or any weapon at all, nor any evidence of any impact to the officer. There was merely an acorn that fell onto the cruiser's roof. That was triggered the first officer to fire. Self-defense doesn't require perfect decis...

Craig Tucker, a retired Marine colonel with an impressive military resume, has apparently been hired by the state of California to provide expert witness testimony to support the state's assault weapons ban.Which is fine, except that he's apparently insane. For example, did you know that a single 5.56mm round can separate the upper half of a person's body from the lower half? No, I'm not kidding, that's what "gun expert" Tucker has told a Federal trial court in a sworn declaration. Fortunatel...

You're lawfully armed with a pistol and suddenly find yourself facing a hostage scenario. Right before you a man is holding a machete to the neck of a wimpering woman. There's no time to call for the police or wait for help--the woman is an instant away from being killed. You decide to intervene in the woman's defense.You draw your pistol, fire--and unintentionally hit and kill the HOSTAGE!What are the legal consequences of this well-intentioned action with such terrible results?THERE I...

This is part 2 of 2 of our coverage of the Gina Carano v. Disney lawsuit. Actress Gina Carano announced on Twitter today that she is suing Disney over her firing from their Star Wars TV show, "The Mandalorian." Interestingly, apparently her suit is being financially backed by free-speech advocate Elon Musk, who had promised to support people in court if they had harm inflicted upon them because of content they posted on Twitter. In today's Law of Self Defense Show we read through and le...

Today I'll be completing the reading of this past week's decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court to tell the Supreme Court of the United States to piss off re: the Second Amendment. In an absolutely ridiculous decision, the Hawaii Supreme Court has simply thumbed its nose at the entirely of the modern Second Amendment law of the US Supreme Court, going so far as to prioritize "Aloha spirit" over the SCOTUS rulings of Heller, McDonald, and Bruen.I don't claim a great deal of Second Amendment...

In an absolutely ridiculous decision, the Hawaii Supreme Court has simply thumbed its nose at the entirely of the modern Second Amendment law of the US Supreme Court, going so far as to prioritize "Aloha spirit" over the SCOTUS rulings of Heller, McDonald, and Bruen. I don't claim a great deal of Second Amendment expertise myself, but I can read a court opinion, I can spot legal nonsense, and best of all my friend and Second Amendment lawyer Kostas Moros has shared his own, and genuine, insig...

Actress Gina Carano announced on Twitter today that she is suing Disney over her firing from their Star Wars TV show, "The Mandalorian." Interestingly, apparently her suit is being financially backed by free-speech advocate Elon Musk, who had promised to support people in court if they had harm inflicted upon them because of content they posted on Twitter. In today's Law of Self Defense Show we read through and legally analyze Carano's lengthy civil complaint against Disney!THIS IS THE ...

Gun Owners Foundation has filed a Federal lawsuit against New York because the state's fascist gun control framework effectively makes it impossible for non-residents to exercise the Second Amendments under the US Constitution.In this Law of Self Defense show I do a live reading of the complaint by the plaintiffs!THERE IS ONLY ONE SELF-DEFENSE "INSURANCE" PROVIDER I TRUST!There are lots of self-defense "insurance" companies out there. Some are hot garbage. Some have limited resources. Some ar...

Former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is looking at 60 years in prison on Federal fraud charges, after recently having been convicted of perjury.This is the same woman who fabricated an investigation and persecuted six Baltimore police officers over the in-custody death of black male Freddy Gray, way back in 2015.I covered the trials of those six officers in real-time--in all cases the charges against the officers were either dropped or the officers were acquitted at bench trial by ...

Today I react to two YouTube videos about the USCCA/Alan Colie controversy that seem to come to opposite conclusions!THERE IS ONLY ONE SELF-DEFENSE INSURANCE PROVIDE I TRUST!There are lots of self-defense "insurance" companies out there. Some are hot garbage. Some have limited resources. Some are simply, in my view, untrustworthy. But there is ONE that I PERSONALLY TRUST to protect myself and my family.LEARN which ONE I TRUST and WHY by clicking HERE:------> https://lawofselfdefense.com/tr...

Join me for a reading of the Federal district court Rhode v. Bonta decision finding that California's ammunition background check law, passed as Proposition 63 by popular vote, is an unconstitutional infringement of the Second Amendment! Another GREAT Second Amendment analysis under Bruen by the great and powerful Federal District Judge Roger T. Benitez!Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE...

Certainly it can be lawful to shoot someone attacking your or another person. In Texas it can even be lawful to shoot someone engaged in stealing. But is it EVER lawful to shoot someone who is running AWAY, and not presenting as a threat to anybody?Today's show looks at video from a Texas gas station in which EXACTLY that happened. Lawful? Or Murder?Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FR...

US Federal trial judge Kathryn Mizelle, presiding in Florida, has just ordered that defendant Emmanuel Ayala cannot be tried for the crime of unlawfully possessing a firearm in a post office because the law against such possession is itself is an unconstitutional infringement of the Second Amendment.The judge's order is very long--53 pages!--and I've only had a chance to read about 10% of it so far. That 10% is of sufficient high legal and educational value, however, that in this lengthy Law ...

An argument between two men in a bodega goes ballistic when one of them pulls a handgun. Unfortunately for him, this turns out to be a poor decision, as the other fellow simply takes the handgun from him.Worse, the other fellow then proceeds to shoot the aggressor to the ground, firing at least five additional shots into him as he lays there.Could this be lawful self-defense? Murder? Manslaughter? Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy...

A couple are awoken at o-dark-thirty by the sound of loud banging on their front door. As the man retrieves a firearm the woman calls 911 to report an apparent home invasion. Then the glass in the the door shatters and the male homeowner fires a single shot through the front door. When police arrive they find a very drunk and very deceased college student dead from gun shot on the front porch. He had just moved into a home on the same street, and drunkenly thought he was breaking ...

Shocking absolutely no one, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has issued a press statement defending Alec Baldwin's apparent manslaughter of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the movie set of low-budget western "Rust," after the actor was again indicted for manslaughter last Friday.(See our show on that news here: https://youtu.be/MILXfooJESE)This statement defending #AlecBaldwin came as no surprise because, fter all, SAG had issued a similar defense of the actor after his first mans...

The Republican-controlled legislature is advancing House Bill 5 (HB5), also known as the "Safer Kentucky Act," and it includes a ton of tough-on-crime provisions that other states that value the safety of their residents out to consider modeling. (Kentucky's governor is a Democrat, but the Republican legislator is a super-majority with veto-override capability.)Included in the 72-page bill are provisions that: prohibit or tightly constrain probation and parole for a variety of violent crimes,...

You're riding your motorcycle down a backwoods road, when you're waved down by a pedestrian. You stop, and he compliments you on your bike. In fact, he likes your bike so much, he produces a knife and demands you turn it over to him. What are you LEGALLY allowed to do to defend both yourself and the bike?Join me to discuss your FOUR MAIN LEGALLY-SOUND DEFENSIVE OPTIONS!Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to sel...

A brief decision handed down last Friday by the New Hampshire Supreme Court touches upon a number of interesting use-of-force legal doctrines, including the legal duty to retreat (or not), "soft" stand-your-ground, defensive display of a firearm, and more. Sadly, the court's reasoning in this decision is much muddier than it would have been had they first read my book (see below)!Join me tomorrow as we read and evaluate New Hampshire v. Shea, translating all the legalese into plain English--t...

As two men happen to be walking towards each other, one pretends to launch a punch, but holds back the blow--it's just a "sucker-punch prank."The other fellow responds by beating the prankster to the ground, leaving him unconscious.We have the video, and we'll share it with you in today's show!Was the counter-attack legally justified? Did the prank victim use excessive force?Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to sel...

Alec Baldwin has been re-indicted for the October 2021 manslaughter of cinematographer, wife, and mother, Halyna Hutchins.Join me on today's show to recap of my prior legal analysis of this unlawful killing.As always, you can find our aggregated, public-access legal analysis of this Baldwin case here: lawofselfdefense.com/baldwinLearn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE!"The Law of Self Defense...

In this episode of the Law of Self Defense Q&A Show we'll address a variety of self-defense law questions, including:Does an attached garage/enclosed porch count as part of my “castle”? (00:05:14)How is curtilage defined, and what does that do for me? (00:06:20)If burglary justifies deadly defensive force, what qualifies as burglary? (00:13:14)How legally perilous is it to come to the defense of a stranger? (00:22:41)How does the law apply in reference to the recent death of a hockey play...

In an apparent road-rage event, a man approaches a green SUV with a pistol in hand, and uses the muzzle to tap on the driver's side window, then lowers his handgun to his side. The response from inside the SUV is a fusillade of fire, with fatal results. Lawful self-defense or excessive force by the driver? Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE!"The Law of Self Defense: Principles" is our be...

A young black woman gets to throwing hands at two men--one white, one black--in what appears to be an airport coffee shop. At one point she attempts to strike the men with a large metal chair, and ultimately she hurls herself over the counter before finally stomping away.The men defend themselves against these attacks, at one point vigorously throwing the woman to the floor. Was the woman's attack merely non-deadly force, or did it escalate to deadly force--and, if so, did it do so lawfully? ...

It was late October 2021 in upstate New York when Jason Jones was arrested after engaging in disorderly conduct outside a police station, after just leaving a bar.While in the station, a shirtless and barefooted Jones grabbed a gallon jug of hand sanitizer and liberally coated himself in it--presumably in preparation for going hands-on with the three officers present and making himself slippery to control.One of the officers presented his Taser, and applied it to Jones. The sanitizer co...

How many bullets are TOO many bullets?That's the legal question we ask in today's show, using a couple of high-volume fire police shooting videos as context, and exploring the self-defense law element of IMMINENCE, with a particular focus on the AOJ Triad. .Join me LIVE at Noon ET, Thursday, January 11, to discuss.Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE!"The Law of Self Defense: Principles" i...

A Mississippi 11-year-old calls 911 saying that his mother's dangerous ex-boyfriend had arrived at their home unexpectedly and was acting aggressively. Cops show up at the house, guns out, and start clearing. The mother exits first, and the a clearing cop starts calling for the boyfriend to come out unarmed.A human form rushes out of a doorway towards the clearing cop, who instantly fires his pistol--striking what turned out to be the 11-year-old 911 caller in the chest. The c...

An Orange County CA liquor store found himself the victim of an armed robbery recently--but then realized that the robber's gun was not real.The clerk then presented his own real gun from under the counter. The robber, realizing he'd brought a fake gun to a real gunfight, immediately fled.Is it lawful to pull a gun on someone threatening you with what you know to be a fake gun? After all, where's the deadly force threat?Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab ...

Houston TX-area homeowner Terry Willis was alerted to a swarm of car thieves amongst his driveway vehicles by his home security cameras around o-dark-thirty.His response? He stepped out of his home pointing an AR rifle he'd built himself, and told them "I don't think you want to do that." The car thieves fled in comic-like desperation. No property was taken, no shots were fired, no person was injured. Happy ending all around--or is it? Is the use of an AR rifle in defense of propert...

Two men, one much larger than the other, get into a physical confrontation on a Philadelphia subway platform, with the larger man holding the smaller against a support column.Suddenly the smaller man--now identified as Chaz Wearing--throws a punch, then another, sending the larger man staggering off the platform and onto the tracks--seconds before subway car enters the station and runs over the fallen man with fatal results. Was this death lawful self-defense on the part of Wearing? Was ...

In today's Law of Self Defense Q&A Show we'll address a variety of self-defense law questions, including:04:34 How does Platinum Membership work, what do I get?08:55 Can I be a licensed bodyguard to my own wife, and then carry in restricted locations?12:19 Are the flurry of new gun control laws being passed constitutional?21:40 When can I point my gun at another person and not have any legal risks?36:06 Does a prosecutor know what level of resources you’re bringing to your legal defense?4...

One driver cuts the gas line at Costco, and finds himself being chastised by a second driver for the offense.The first driver decides to escalate the verbal confrontation to the physical be securing an expanding baton from his truck.The second driver responds to this by presenting a pistol.Who is in the right? Both? Neither? What could YOU do?Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE!"The Law o...

In an officer-involved shooting that is reminiscent of Texas Police Officer Aaron Dean's 2019 prowler-investigating shooting of Atatiana Jefferson--for which Dean was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 11 years and 10 months in jail (perhaps not coincidentally that shooting occurred on November 10)--another Texas police officer has shot and killed another homeowner while responding to a prowling call. Last week Texas Police Officer Lauren Nick responded to a prowling call, brief...

Three men got involved in a low-level confrontation outside an Illinois pizza place last Friday--and things escalated quickly, as captured on video.Ultimately, Michael Freund, who was watching the other two men wrestle each other on a porch. One of those two men was purportedly a friend of Freund's, and the other was Dexter Perkins. Freund would ultimately pull out a pistol fired two warning shots, and then fired another 9 bullets into Perkins, killing him.Freund has since been arraigned on a...

A Texas mother of four children is compelled to shoot a burglar violently entering her home at night after she's unable to get the police to respond to her repeated 911 calls for help. An Oregon woman facing a similar violent home intruder spends minutes talking with 911 as her home is breached, her pleas for police assistance being rejected--unfortunately, in this case the woman had no gun, and is sexually assaulted by her attacker.We have the 911 recording of this second case--and I can tel...

Last Friday USCCA Chairman Tim Schmidt released a YouTube video responding to varied criticisms of that organization. In particular, Tim spoke to criticism of how USCCA managed its legal defense obligations to two of its members--Kayla Giles (later found guilty of murder at trial and sentenced to life) and Alan Colie (found guilty on a mixed verdict, and ironically sentenced the day prior to the release of this USCCA video). Full disclosure--some of that criticism has come from me, and ...

You use deadly defensive force because you believe your attacker is coming at you with a knife in hand, and you kill that aggressor--but it later turns out the "knife" was merely a large, black magic marker. In fact, you were MISTAKEN about the threat you perceived.Does that mistake invalidate your legal justification of self-defense?Exactly just this mistake happened to Denver police recently, and this week the local prosecutor released his written decision on whether to charge the off...

Attorney David Betras, a self-described "Super Lawyer" out of Ohio, with claimed expertise in criminal defense law, recently published an opinion piece entitled "Age of dueling returns with ’stand your ground’ gun laws in U.S."In that article he concludes: "The stand-your-ground law is dangerous enough, it shouldn’t be the avenue for the resurgence of the duel."Could this be true? Do stand-your-ground laws legalize dueling? After all, that's what this criminal defense "Super Lawyer" is tellin...

Yesterday the internet fed my email a whole series of e-articles written by various (purportedly human) authors on the topic of Stand-Your-Ground law in different states. The legal accuracy of these articles ranged from OK to just wrong. It then occurred to me that all these suddenly produced articles on the same topic and of similar degrees of bad legal takes might well be the product of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to produce internet content. In today's Law of Self D...

Father and son farmers in South Carolina have been charged with murder after they killed an armed trespasser who they say was threatening their land and livestock.In today's show we'll consider the question whether it's lawful to kill a simple trespasser, in the context of the news report on this event, as well as the police incident report and the arrest warrants.Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense l...

Today's Law of Self Defense Show answers questions sent into us by our Platinum Members, who have access to a Platinum-only Q&A form for submitting such questions directly to me.Answered during today's show are the following questions (with time stamps):When can I use force to prevent theft of another person’s property?If I only carry my gun when going to dangerous places, can that be used against me in court?If intruder enters home through unlocked door, how does that affect my self-defe...

Alivia Schwab, a 40-year-old mother of three, was under the care of mental health counselors for serious mental issues, and had only recently been returned to her apartment from institutionalization. On September 29, Schwab had her counselor on the phone, and was threatening to kill herself with a knife. The counselor notified the police so they could intervene.Morris IL police officers Nick Pampinella and Casie Price responded to the call, encountering Swab as she stood in the open door of h...

An apparently crazy woman apparently attempted to burn down the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta.Fortunately, two tourists from Utah saw what was happening and intervneed to stop her.Next, two off-duty police from New York City made a citizen's arrest and held her for Atlanta police.This is, of course, exactly what society should want these citizens to do.But was ANY of it lawful? Could they have been setting themselves up for a life sentence in prison?A: Yes!Learn the Self-Def...

A question that comes up with some regularity is what are the legal consequences if a round fired in self-defense unintentionally kills an innocent bystander.Is the defender guilty of murder of that bystander? Of manslaughter? Is there any legal liability at all? And, whatever the answer--why? What's the underlying legal doctrine?I've addressed this question many times, but last week a Law of Self Defense Member asked during Friday's live stream about a case out of the Kansas Supreme Court th...

Today I read through a recent #NRA magazine article by Sheriff Jim Wilson--whose work I much enjoy, including this piece I'll be treating with some modest criticism. Sheriff Wilson has much good advice and accurate observations in this article, but nevertheless falls prey to perhaps the most common failing in otherwise well-informed people when it comes to the legal use of force--the conflation of weapons law, on the one hand, and use-of-force law on the other. Treating these two en...

Back on April 2 of this year DoorDash delivery guy Alan Colie found himself confronted in a shopping mall food court by two aggressive pranksters, the leader of whom was one Tanner Cook. Colie would ultimately shoot Cook once, causing serious but not fatal injuries. Colie would be charged with malicious wounding, firing of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and and discharging a firearm in a building--all felonies. Colie's sole legal defense to all three charges was the justification of...

APOLOGIES FOR THE POOR AUDIO QUALITY! One of our Law of Self Defense Platinum Members, who I'll identify as Rich, reached out to us recently to ask about an apparent contradiction in the home defense law of his state.(Platinum Members have a special Q&A form that allows them to submit questions directly to me, to be answered either privately or publicly--learn how to become a Platinum Member NOW for only 82 cents a day by going to https://lawofselfdefense.com/82cents)The home defense ...

This past Monday morning 20-year-old George Obregon Jr. approached rapper Nardo Wick after Wick's performance at a Tampa night club, for the purpose of asking if he could take a photo with the rapper. The encounter was captured on video.As he approached, Obregon was viciously punched by a large man standing beside the rapper, and appeared to suffer an immediate brain injury. Obgregon was then punched to the ground by a smaller man standing beside the rapper, striking his head on the gro...

A 14-year-old student was attacked by an unarmed mob in a Raleigh NC high school, and defended himself with a knife he carried in violation of school policies.The result: one of his attackers was killed, and another seriously injured.We've got the attack captured on video, and will break down the legal dynamics in today's Law of Self Defense Show, answering such questions as:What can a defender do if attacked by a mob in this manner?Was this use of deadly defensive force lawful under the circ...

Today's Law of Self Defense Show focuses on video of a convenience store armed robbery in which both the clerk and customer being robbed appear completely compliant with the robbers' demands.Despite this compliance, the customer is shot through the head, and the clerk is gunned down as well, both with apparent fatal results. This video is an abject lesson that compliance cannot guarantee safety at the muzzle of a bad guy's gun. So if you find yourself the victim of an armed robbery, sho...

Today’s show focuses on the question of when is a defender legally permitted to shoot first, and we’ll explore that question with several shootings captured on video.Fair warning—each of these videos shows people being shot, sometimes with apparently fatal results.If that makes you uncomfortable, no shame, but this might not be the show for you.I should also point out that we don’t have all the facts for each of these videos that would allow us to come to some definite conclusion about whethe...

Today’s show covers two men who used guns in defense of either themselves or others, only to find themselves promptly and firmly punished by the legal system that routinely allows criminals to walk free. Ironically, both men are from New York City, though the events took place on opposite sides of the nation.The first of these is Vince Ricci, a retired New Yorker who now lives in Los Angeles. At around 7:30 PM on Saturday, Nov. 4, Ricci was about to enter his home carrying a cup of coffee, wh...

On November 1, high school student Jonathan Lewis Jr., protesting that a smaller student had been robbed and dumped into a trash can, was beaten unconscious by a pack of 8 or more other students. Jonathan would die of his blunt force trauma after six days on life support.​The core question of today's show: WHEN does a disparity of numbers between attackers and a defender justify the use of deadly defensive force? Enjoy the show!CLICK HERE --->Jonathan Lewis, Jr. Family Go-Fund-M...

It's rare but very pleasant to come across a solid use-of-force legal analysis by another lawyer, so I was pleased to see exactly that happen with the account @JaimePretellEsq with respect to a use-of-force event that occurred recently in Florida.In this event, two white men beside an SUV appear to be mocking a black man outside a strip mall, and the black man ultimately presents a gun and shoots them as they attempt to flee. One of the victims was injured and the other was killed, and the sh...

A car wash clerk in Concord CA find himself the victim of a felony robbery carried out by a masked woman wielding a large knife, at various points holding the point of the knife within inches of the clerk's neck. The robbery was captured on video, which we'll share with all of you today.The clerk is entirely compliant with the robbery, and makes no effort to either resist or defend himself--even when the robber momentarily places her knife down on the register in order to more expeditiously r...

Last Thursday, on November 9, Ralph Bouzy ambushed several police officers, using his speeding car as a deadly weapon to cause several of the officers critical injuries--at last report there was a good chance one officer would lose a leg. Bouzy then exited his crashed car, and advanced on the officers, including one officer seriously injured in the intentional ramming attack.Not that it should matter, but this is the racially energized world we live in: Bouzy is black, and the off...

This past Sunday, November 12, US Secret Service agents assigned to the protection of Naomi Biden, the granddaughter of President Joe Biden, observed several people breaking into their parked and unoccupied SUV in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington DC.Their response was to discharge a firearm--apparently in the absence of any legal justification for the use of deadly defensive force.Can we make it make sense? Join us for today's Law of Self Defense Show breaking down this circus of an ...

Last week I stopped at CCW Safe HQ in Oklahoma City, and had an extensive chat with Stan Campbell, COO, and Don West, National Trial Counsel.I had a great time talking with those two great guys with key strategic roles at that great organization, and I hope you enjoy it as well!Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE!"The Law of Self Defense: Principles" is our best-selling, plain-English exp...

Right now, this very week in Wisconsin a man named Michael Mattioli is being tried for murder of Joel Acevedo on the grounds that Acevedo died as a result of the choke hold placed by Mattioli. The defendant claims he applied the chokehold for the sole purpose of self-defense, and only to the extent necessary for self-defense—and yet he could end up convicted of murder and spend the rest of his life in prison.Daniel Penny placed drug addict Jordan Neely in a purported choke hold on May 1 of th...

I recently came across video of a violent interaction between a uniformed police officer making a traffic stop and the driver of the stopped vehicle. The encounter went poorly for the officer.Of particular note was the remarkably high level of both gun handling and aggression on the part of the stopped driver, who aggressively engaged the officer with gun fire and even pursued the officer while continuing to fire.This event raises the important question of just how much training a normal law-...

Most people think of Brazilian Jui-Jitsu (BJJ) as a non-deadly means of self-defense, and imagine using such skills to defend against a non-deadly force attack.There are, however, many techniques in BJJ that readily qualify as deadly force--because the definition of "deadly force" include not only force that can kill but also force that causes serious bodily injury. The many joint locks in BJJ that can utterly destroy a joint certainly would qualify as deadly force if carried to complet...

You're ambushed by a deadly criminal predator--fortunately, you manage to instantly inflict a mortal injury on him. Can you continue to use deadly defensive force even though you've effectively already killed your attacker?Today's show addresses this important questions--and does so in a way that also documents your knowledge so that it can be shared with a jury if you're ever criminally charged in this kind of scenario.In today's show we both explain the importance of documenting your specia...

A street performer "statue" attired in the style of Teddy Roosevelt eventually got enough pestering from an apparently intoxicated pedestrian that he threw a granite-like right fist into the pedestrian's face.Fortunately for us, the event was captured on video!Lawful self-defense?Learn the Self-Defense Law you NEED to BE HARD TO CONVICT, for FREE!Grab your own copy of our best-selling guide to self-defense law for FREE!"The Law of Self Defense: Principles" is our best-selling, plain-English e...

This past Sunday night Jason Pass was filmed fatally shooting Bladimy Mathurin (47) and Chinwai Mode (27) in a Brooklyn NY hallway. This morning, Pass charged at police with a 6" knife, and this time it was he who was fatally shot, by police. The shooting on Sunday involving Pass and his two victims have raised some questions on social media about whether this use of deadly force could potentially have qualified as lawful self-defense--in part because Mathurin had initially approached aggress...

This past Saturday, October 28, hockey player Adam Johnson had his neck fatally slashed by the ice skate of opposing player Matt Petgrave. The event was captured on video, which we'll share in today's show. CAUTION: The video shows the infliction of a fatal injury. The legal questions then arise: First, was this an intentional use of force by Petgrave on Johnson? Second, if intentional, would this killing be murder, manslaughter, or negligent homicide?These questions require both ...