if someone breaks into your home as other posters said you have no idea if they are just trying to rob you or hurt you. I have a right to self defense. right now in our city we have a possible serial killer on the loose. so far five women have been beaten to death and one almost{ her dog saved her} so far the authorities are not positive it is the same man but each case is the same where the woman is brutally beaten in the head. right now women in this town are being told to watch out for themselves. it has been awful unnerving the last six weeks these women have died. so yes, if someone comes in my home unasked I am not going to waste any time asking why. decent people do not break into other persons homes.

Burglary of a dwelling house was a hanging offense at common law, and you are perfectly justified in blasting an intruder in your house!

Burglary of a dwelling house is an offense against the habitation and not a property offense, per se. That is why deadly force is authorized, and that punishment for conviction of such a burglary was a hanging offense.

If more burgelars ended up dead,there'd be a lot less burglary.

I'm with moxie on this. If this person hadn't broken into my home, they wouldn't have to worry about whether I was willing to defend myself, my family, or my home.

Only if you fear for your life. To clarify, I'm talking about personal ethics, not the law.

I'd have no problem sleeping if an "accident" happened to a "burglar" in my house.

If you can scare them off then great, but I know people who have been killed because they came home and interupted a burglery in their home, they did nothing but come home from an evening out. I will shoot now and ask questions later. I am hoping though that the sight of my sawed off shot gun will send them packing.

This is easy and so obvious I can't understand how "mercy killing" could be above this one! My view hasn't changed since I was a little boy. If someone had the guts to break into my house, I would know they are there to kill me. If they know me their would be no doubt in their mind that I would do my best to kill them in short order. On the other hand, if they didn't know me, then I question someone's sanity that wouldn't think they wouldn't likely run across someone like me, therefore they too are likely to be a killer. IOW, anyone that doesn't have more respect for their own life is very, very, dangerous. I draw the line of chasing them outside the house. That was something that my father thought was necessary but he grew up in the country. It other words, if you live out in the country, you better track that guy down and kill him since it is likely he knows you or is already running from the law. One of the worst things you can do is let them get away. Not only was that country but a long time ago when only the really bad guys would break into a house. I do agree with my dad of shooting them through the window while they are on the outside trying to break in. Neither me nor my family has ever been one to say that we would shoot someone and then drag them in so they wouldn't get in trouble. I think to be the slightest bit worried that you might get caught protecting your property means that you will hesitate. If you have the slightest inkling that you would hesitate, then you should NEVER own a gun or have one in the house. The last thing you should be thinking about is dragging a body when the chances are great he has a buddy nearby... that is who you should be concerned about instead of the later police investigation. For those that think property isn't worth a life, reread what I said above. It has NOTHING to do with property. The only person that is concerned about property is the criminal because I'm sure not. I'm not going to comment about these other questions since they seem so obvious, but I do disagree with most on the brain dead or maybe the mercy killing. I think it is up to the person's wishes that is in that situation. If there are no known wishes, then it is up to the family with input from the doctor. In most cases there will be no problems. Unfortunately in some cases it has to go to court and I believe should always be decided by a jury instead of just a judge. Just like capital murder cases.

Yes, of course. Someone who's equipped with the cojones to break into a strangers house is probably capable of much more. This is why we have the right to bear arms. There are a few exceptions to this scenario in my mind, but for the most part ... hell yeah, blast away!

Someone entering my house under the guise of a burglar can do immeasurable and permanent damage. You don't usually get to ask, "Now, are you just here to burglarize, or are you also a killer? Potentially speaking, of course. " Somebody in my house? Where my wife and children are in danger? They don't get that. They get, "BLAM! BLAM! . . . . . BLAM!!"

Not in itself. As Kamy sagely noted, there is a difference between robbery and assault, and it all depends on the circumstances, on the encounter you might have with the burglars. If I happen to come home when someone is robbing my house and they are clambering out the back window, I don't think I am justified in killing them. If, on the other hand, they whip out a gun and tell me that they always wanted pop a cap (or anything else for that matter) in an Irishman's ass, then I would feel justified in doing what it took to defend myself. My house in Arizona was burglarized 3 times in 6 months, and I do not feel especially charitable towards the burglars, but I don't think they deserve to die for that. There are much worse things.

My rifle makes this really cool sound when I throw the bolt home. That alone should make them crap themselves and flee, thus preventing their demise.

Again, absolutely. You don't have any way to know the motives and intentions of someone who breaks into your home, and even if you did, those may change when they find out you're in the house. Not only do I believe the taking of a life is justified in this case, I would shoot first, in the dark and from behind, if that's what it took. My stuff can be replaced, true enough, but my girlfriend's life is precious to me, and that you can't replace.

Prior to last year (when I was a bachelor), I would have felt killing a burglar (of the stealing and taking variety) was unjustified. Now, however, if an intruder were to come into my home (regardless of whether or not I believe he means me or my spouse physical harm) he should be prepared to be carried by six. I would simply not be willing to gamble in regards to my wife's welfare or health. She is the most precious thing I have and I believe I would waste some deviant ne'er do well in order to protect my "investment."

A human life is more valuable than material posessions, so while I would try to get them to leave my home, I would not try to kill them unless they made an attempt on my life as well.

This is very justified. If they are dumb enough to come in your house they are willing to harm you and your family as well. I can't let that happen.

I've never been in this situation, thankfully. I figure if they want to take stuff, at least stuff can be replaced. When it crosses the line to hurting family, though, all bets are off.