---- —
A recent incident in Greenville brought up a question that many people have pondered in the past: When is it OK to shoot someone who enters your house?
That answer isn’t easy, at least in Pennsylvania.
According to police reports, David E. Keck entered a Plum Street residence where his estranged wife was living and he created a disturbance in the early morning hours of Aug. 21. He was armed with a metal pipe.
Homeowner Charles Heck shot Keck in the arm, and the intruder then ran out of the house.
Keck was treated at a hospital and after he was released, he was arrested by Greenville-West Salem Police and charged with burglary, criminal mischief and two counts of aggravated assault.
Heck will not be charged, according to Mercer County District Attorney Robert G Kochems.
Some states have laws that are clear about when you can use force against an intruder. But that’s not always cut and dry.
Some people who have shot intruders, have later been sued by the criminals or families of the intruders if they were killed.
The big question in most cases has come down to this: Even though someone breaks in to rob your house, are they really a threat to harm you?
It’s a touchy subject. How can anyone really know, even if they aren’t armed?
One reason that courts find it hard to make a clear case that you can shoot anyone who enters your home is that it would be easy to use that as a motive to kill someone.
Even the recent Greenville incident left questions for the police to sort out. The woman said she opened the door for Keck, thinking it was someone else who was a mutual friend of the couple.
The wounded Keck claims he didn’t hit Heck with the pipe until after Heck shot him. It’s a case of he said/he said.
There are no easy answers when it comes to making laws about using potential deadly force against home invaders. Or even in an instance where a fight might break out when someone is permitted into the home.
As it stands, each case must be taken on an individual basis. And it can’t be easy for police or the courts to determine what really happened in some cases.
It would be nice if there were commonly understood laws on what force you can use if someone enters your home. But even then, the real facts might still be in question.
That’s why we have judges and juries. But even they face some tough decisions.
Opinion
Unauthorized home entry adds uncertainty to alarm
- Opinion
-
-
Who’s responsible for uptick in economy? It’s hard to figure
There was one thing I was taught years ago when I was a young reporter: Every politician lies, but the real story is the reason behind the lies.
-
Juicy tips will be far fewer without ‘Scoop’ on the phone
I enjoyed calling him Scoop. I was the newspaper guy, but for more years than I can remember, Gary Douglas was at the other end of phone calls on a regular basis.
“Did you hear about this? Did you hear about that? Did you hear about so-and-so? Better check this out. I’ll bet you haven’t heard about this.”
That usually was the flow of the conversation. Most of the time he was right. Some of the tips turned into stories that were fit to print, and others not so much.
-
The only thing we have to fear is fear-mongering
To hear some folks tell it, it’s no longer morning in America, it’s five minutes to midnight. They say the United States, once the greatest nation on Earth, is today on a glide path to the ash heap of history.
-
Super Bowl Sunday brings a super boost for the local economy
The game is more than a glitzy international event. It serves as a one-day boon to local economies like ours here at home.
-
Punxsutawney Phil, Mitt and a litany of bad GOP hopefuls
Here are some thoughts from a guy who doesn’t put a whole lot of stock in rascally rodents that make weather forecasts.
-
In Ed Likovich’s yard, apples don’t fall very far from the tree
Adage tells us that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. It really applies to the Likovich family of Hermitage, specifically Ed the father and teacher and Ed the son and student.
-
A smaller state legislature? Don’t hold your breath
Don't tell me that our state General Assembly is finally going to do what should have been done many years ago – cut the size of the Legislature.
-
A sad end to life: History will determine JoePa’s legacy
I had the privilege, yes privilege and honor, of meeting Joe Paterno several times in my life, both as a student at Penn State and in my role as editor of The Herald. It was with a heavy heart when I learned that he was near death during the Mercer County Hall of Fame’s annual dinner at the Park Inn by Radisson Saturday, and that he had died Sunday.
-
OUR VIEW: Dearth of candidate interest defies worth of legislative races
In case you hadn’t noticed, this is an election year. Actually every year is, but this is one of the big ones. Sure, there’s some sort of presidential race going on, but that’s just a sideshow to where the real action in this year’s election is – or at least should be.
Voters across the country will be electing every member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and here in Mercer County voters will help decide who represents three state House districts. -
Hall of Fame weekend stirs memories of ‘good old days’
Is there anything better than reminiscing about the “good old days”? That’s why I love the Mercer County Hall of Fame’s annual induction weekend.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
