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  3. UPDATE: In a statement provided to CBC News, Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Kirk Robertson "touches on the assault charge" handed out to the home owner, after he was the victim of a home invasion.

UPDATE: In a statement provided to CBC News, Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Kirk Robertson "touches on the assault charge" handed out to the home owner, after he was the victim of a home invasion.

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  • L lepoisson@lemmy.world

    Damn as an American whose frame of reference is, “if someone breaks into my home in the middle of the night and I shoot them dead it’s likely going to be called justifiable - period” it’s wild to see this.

    Like, I’m not saying it’s good that we basically have a mentality of “yo if someone comes into your house you can blast em” as a people … But it’s interesting how divergent the views are.

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    bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca
    wrote on last edited by
    #74

    Yeah that’s how American children get killed “breaking” back into their homes after sneaking out.

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    • ohshit604@sh.itjust.worksO ohshit604@sh.itjust.works

      Hypothetical of the day, if you’re forced into sudden fight or flight situation and you decide to fight can you determine reasonable use of force on the fly without hesitation?

      What would you do?

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      bubbaonthebeach@lemmy.ca
      wrote on last edited by
      #75

      Whatever it takes for me to be able to get away and nothing beyond that. That could be a single punch, it could be a gun shot. All depends on the circumstances at the time. The point is “only what is necessary for me to escape”.

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      • C canconda@lemmy.ca

        So, dead?

        In some contexts, yes. However you’ll still likely have to defend charges of manslaughter. You’d have to demonstrate that the actions you took could reasonable be expected to not result in the death of the subject; and that those actions were necessary to prevent receiving grievous bodily injury or death.

        and would have the capacity to simply “calm down” once the threat has been stopped.

        Lots of people defend themselves without turning their unconscious assailants into pin cushions. You seem to be fundamentally misunderstanding how reasonable force is determined. I suggest you read my other comments.

        they don’t know if the threat is over,

        If you can remove yourself from the situation the threat is over. It’s factually wrong to suggest that people can’t tell when they’ve won a fight.

        or if someone else is going to bust in to kill them,

        Continuing to inflict damage on an incapacitated assailant logically does nothing to prevent another potential unknown assailant from attacking you.

        or if the original attacker will fight back, or if they have a weapon, etc.

        Those factors will determine what level of force is reasonable. Unreasonable force generally comes into play after the assailant has been incapacitated.

        Courts should be very lenient

        You should be thankful you have right to defend yourself at all. Not all countries grant that to their citizens. The logical limitation of that right is that defending yourself does not permit you to “counter-assault” others.

        Assault in Canada doesn’t require them to hit you first. It includes threats with the ability to follow through. So you may preemptively strike to end an altercation without being charged for assault. HOWEVER, the average male is 28,000% less effective in combat than they think they are. So it’s generally a poor option for untrained individuals… as shit gets out of hand. Pre-emptively striking to end the fight early only works if you can actully do that.

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        showroom7561@lemmy.ca
        wrote on last edited by
        #76

        I’m going to play devil’s advocate in my response. I will acknowledge that every case should be evaluated on their own merits, including this one.

        In some contexts, yes. However you’ll still likely have to defend charges of manslaughter. You’d have to demonstrate that the actions you took could reasonable be expected to not result in the death of the subject; and that those actions were necessary to prevent receiving grievous bodily injury or death.

        To a trained person, this may be possible if they are entering a situation where they have an overview of the situation and know what they are getting into. For example, armed police stopping an unarmed thug.

        However, a regular civilian, who has been woken in the middle of the night to an armed invader has no clue what to expect. And then their fight-or-flight response kicks in and they no longer have rational thought.

        I think it’s completely reasonable to assume that the homeowner in this case felt that his life was in immediate danger, as the attacker did enter the home with a weapon.

        Lots of people defend themselves without turning their unconscious assailants into pin cushions. You seem to be fundamentally misunderstanding how reasonable force is determined. I suggest you read my other comments.

        And lots more kill them. Like this guy from Milton, who was found to be not guilty after shooting a home invader to death.

        If you can remove yourself from the situation the threat is over. It’s factually wrong to suggest that people can’t tell when they’ve won a fight.

        It’s a mistake to think that people don’t misjudge the use of excessive or lethal force. Hell, even trained officers are more likely to use lethal force just for having a high heart-rate. And it takes biofeedback training in order for them to reduce (not eliminate) these errors in judgment. (link to study)

        Someone broke into someone else’s house in the middle of the night with a weapon (intention to hurt or kill the occupant and/or their family). As quite a few home invasions involve more than one person, how would the homeowner know that someone else isn’t waiting outside, making it a 2 vs 1?

        In hindsight, it’s easy to say “the threat was over”, but not so much when you’re in that situation.

        Continuing to inflict damage on an incapacitated assailant logically does nothing to prevent another potential unknown assailant from attacking you.

        I totally agree, like if someone is running away from you and you shoot them in the back. I’m not aware that this is what happened in this situation.

        However… you have to consider the human element: someone was attacked by someone else who intended to cause them harm. Adrenalin, and very likely “sleep inertia” could have also played a role in impairing judgment, making it difficult or even impossible to think logically in a life-or-death situation.

        And the reality is, we have trained, armed officers who find it difficult to know when enough force has been applied to an unpredictable situation. I think the courts may be asking too much to think that regular citizens being put in these situations would all of a sudden think and act perfectly.

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        • Nik282000N Nik282000

          “I feared for my life and the lives of my fellow officers.”

          Why are individuals held to stricter rules? It should not be legal to shoot someone who is stealing your lawn gnomes but an armed thief inside your house is a thread of unknown magnitude.

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          canconda@lemmy.ca
          wrote on last edited by canconda@lemmy.ca
          #77

          I agree that’s BS but that’s also more in the USA where everyone has guns. In Canada cops can’t pull that as easily because statistically people aren’t carrying guns here.

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          • Nik282000N Nik282000

            Have you met an RPAL carrier? “Better tried by 12 than carried by 6” is kind of their mantra. I can think of 3 off the top of my head that I know 100% have loaded guns stashed in their residence (no kids).

            I have, they keep their firearm and ammo locked up, they never transport their firearm anywhere but to and from the range and they never load or discharge it anywhere but at the range.

            Having to make the decision between jail time or death is a failure on the part of Canada. The police can kill you because they felt “their life or the lives of other officers were in danger,” a person in their home should be held to the same standard.

            Can you see how extending self defense rights to property would be a very slippery slope?

            For sure but I was talking about the increase in criminals attacking people directly, in their vehicle or home, in order to get that vehicle. You have no option to backoff when you are part one of their two part plan.

            If someone breaks into your house and starts cramming your home theater into a sack then no, you should not be free to kill them but you should be able to threaten or use violence to remove them from your home. The police will not come in time, if at all. Telling people that they have to just sit there and watch the thousands of hours they burn at work get taken from them without recourse is insane.

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            canconda@lemmy.ca
            wrote on last edited by
            #78

            have, they keep their firearm and ammo locked up, they never transport their firearm anywhere but to and from the range and they never load or discharge it anywhere but at the range.

            They don’t trust you.

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            • D daryl@lemmy.ca

              Why do I get this strange feeling that the last laugh could easily be from this ‘intruder’, when he wins a multi-million-dollar defamation suit against all the media, and Ford, for portraying him as a ‘guilty home invader’ instead of the victim, because we really do not know all of the facts - what happens if it turns out the facts establish that he was actually invited in, and the home-owner attacked him first, then tried to invoke his innocence by declaring ‘self defense’? Perhaps a drug deal gone bad?

              The police refer to an ‘intruder’, and ‘break-and-enter’, but these claims are ‘alleged’ and have not been established in a court of law. Apparently, according to one article I read, the two knew each other.

              https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/ont-man-charged-with-assaulting-home-intruder-used-knife-court-docs-say/

              ‘It’s not over until it’s over’, and even then, it is not always over.

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              deltapi@lemmy.world
              wrote on last edited by
              #79

              The police also indicated that the non-resident individual was charged with offences related to home invasion, is known to police, and had an active arrest warrant out.

              Considering that farmer guy got away with shooting the native kid in the face a few years ago, I don’t think these charges will stick if it’s just “stabbing is fine, but he stabbed too much.”

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              • D deltapi@lemmy.world

                The police also indicated that the non-resident individual was charged with offences related to home invasion, is known to police, and had an active arrest warrant out.

                Considering that farmer guy got away with shooting the native kid in the face a few years ago, I don’t think these charges will stick if it’s just “stabbing is fine, but he stabbed too much.”

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                daryl@lemmy.ca
                wrote on last edited by
                #80

                A good defense attorney will turn everything you just said against the prosecution. Everything you said was conjuncture, not supported by facts. That the police charged both men means the facts are undetermined, and they are leaving it up to a court of law to sort through. Break-and-enter is not home invasion. It is a broad catch-all.

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                • S showroom7561@lemmy.ca

                  The comment released by the police does not refer to it as a home invasion. That is my point. I should have clarified my comment “was never mentioned in any article by the police”

                  Fair point. I’m not sure police would use that language, as it’s not a legal term as far as I know.

                  Despite what is in the media, I have not seen any evidence that this was anywhere near a ‘home invasion’.

                  To add to the above point, the guy was charged with break-and-enter, possession of a weapon with intent, and a few others. He was also already wanted by police. But the fact that the homeowner was in the residence, makes it a “home invasion”.

                  The fact that those two also knew each other adds complexity of the story, for sure. It may even help the defence.

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                  daryl@lemmy.ca
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #81

                  If the only evidence the police have is that the ‘home owner said he broke in’, without any physical evidence of a break in, there is not enough to convict the alleged intruder. If the alleged intruder said ‘he was just visiting to chat about say money or a loan or a mutual lover, and the owner let him in, and a fight ensued’ the police would naturally charge both parties and let the courts decide. If he was let in, there was certainly no ‘home invasion’ until he was asked to go. So far, the general public has zero evidence-based facts to go on. Just back and forth accusations, and a very injured person. And the media concentrating on the vague statements of only one participant (actually, it appears they are depending on the statements of a third party who was not even present, but ‘just herd that…’).

                  A lot of posters here are putting words into the mouth of police that the police never stated. What we do have is the official statement of the police as cited in this article. Everything else is media hype.

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                  • D daryl@lemmy.ca

                    Why do I get this strange feeling that the last laugh could easily be from this ‘intruder’, when he wins a multi-million-dollar defamation suit against all the media, and Ford, for portraying him as a ‘guilty home invader’ instead of the victim, because we really do not know all of the facts - what happens if it turns out the facts establish that he was actually invited in, and the home-owner attacked him first, then tried to invoke his innocence by declaring ‘self defense’? Perhaps a drug deal gone bad?

                    The police refer to an ‘intruder’, and ‘break-and-enter’, but these claims are ‘alleged’ and have not been established in a court of law. Apparently, according to one article I read, the two knew each other.

                    https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/ont-man-charged-with-assaulting-home-intruder-used-knife-court-docs-say/

                    ‘It’s not over until it’s over’, and even then, it is not always over.

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                    daryl@lemmy.ca
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #82

                    Police took the rare step of issuing a statement after they said that news of the arrest “generated significant public interest and emotional responses” as well as “unjust and inaccurate” commentary about the officers involved.

                    They said investigators examined all information and evidence that was available to them before laying any charges, adding that only a limited amount of information is being released to the public at this time about this incident as to both protect the investigation as well as ensure the right of the accused during their court proceedings.

                    “The role of the police is to investigate impartially and present findings to the justice system, which ultimately determines the outcome,” the statement notes.

                    “We encourage you to follow this matter as it proceeds through the justice system.”

                    Link Preview Image
                    Premier speaks out after Ontario resident charged with assault following home invasion

                    Premier Doug Ford is weighing in after an Ontario man was arrested in connection with the assault of an intruder earlier this week, telling reporters that “something is broken” when you can’t “protect your family.”

                    favicon

                    CTVNews (www.ctvnews.ca)

                    Most of the alleged ‘facts’ presented to the public so far are, at best, fabrications of the public imagination. Did Ford even once use the term ‘alleged’, or similar? His statements were made in public, not covered by parliamentary privilege.

                    He has revealed his rue colors - just like Trump, he wants to be judge, prosecutor, police commander, jury, and executioner. Ford wants to be the only Law that exists.

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                    • D daryl@lemmy.ca

                      A good defense attorney will turn everything you just said against the prosecution. Everything you said was conjuncture, not supported by facts. That the police charged both men means the facts are undetermined, and they are leaving it up to a court of law to sort through. Break-and-enter is not home invasion. It is a broad catch-all.

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                      deltapi@lemmy.world
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #83

                      Good thing I’m not an attorney, solicitor, or barrister, but rather some random on the internet commenting on what information is available to us and referencing a previous case where violence was used by someone claiming defense of their home.

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                      • D deltapi@lemmy.world

                        Good thing I’m not an attorney, solicitor, or barrister, but rather some random on the internet commenting on what information is available to us and referencing a previous case where violence was used by someone claiming defense of their home.

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                        daryl@lemmy.ca
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #84

                        Do you mean you are just some know-nothing highly opinionated blabbermouth who goes on spouting garbage that they have absolutely no knowledge of, just to look important and sound impressive?

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                        • ohshit604@sh.itjust.worksO ohshit604@sh.itjust.works

                          cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/44480641

                          Link to the original article, including the update

                          Link Preview Image
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                          daryl@lemmy.ca
                          wrote on last edited by daryl@lemmy.ca
                          #85

                          Let’s take the kown facts from what the police have said, and develop an alternative narrative, just as likely as the one Ford espoused, by filling in the gaps with just as valid conjecture.

                          Mary (obviously no real names are used) is being abused by her boyfriend Bob. Mary decides to move out, and Bob is angry. He will not let her take any of her belongings.

                          Mary enlists the help of her somewhat nefarious acquaintance, Peter, who has had dealings with Bob on the past and they do not like each other.

                          So Peter, at Mary’s behest, goes to Bob’s place to collect Mary’s rightfully owned possessions, using force if becessary, because after all they do Belong to Mary. (Bailiffs do this all the time, it is a grey area of law - >Bailiffs and assistant bailiffs generally cannot use force or the threat of force when carrying out their duties. Under the Repair and Storage Liens Act, if the bailiff is acting under a writ of seizure, they may use reasonable force to enter land and premises in some circumstances If so, then other rules may apply. Bailiffs and assistant bailiffs must leave if you tell them to. If they don’t leave, you may wish to contact your local police and inform them that the bailiff or assistant bailiff does not have your consent. In these cases, the repossession or seizure is not deemed “peaceful”. Afterwards, you can also file a complaint with the ministry. https://www.ontario.ca/page/your-rights-when-dealing-bailiff). Bob lets Peter in, reluctantly, but objects to what Peter is taking (ownership is in dispute). A fight breaks out. Peter has taken tools to disassemble some of Mary’s belongings, which can also be classified as break-and-enter or dangerous weapons (a screwdriver). Bob decides to teach both Peter AND Mary exactly who is the boss. So Bob gets the worst of it, neighbors call in the police, Bob gets taken to the hospital, and Peter claims ‘self-defense’. The police, having knowledge of all of them, decide to charge everybody and let the detectives, attorneys, forensics, and the Judge to sort everything out.This is a mix of family, civil and criminal law and the boundaries are blurred…

                          So Peter not only has regularly beaten the crap out of Mary, he has beaten the crap out of Peter, and somehow he is the victim?

                          I would submit that this is not actually an uncommon occurrence, that the police, attorneys, and courts deal with regularly. Except that someone ended up in the hospital, perhaps the most innocent Samaritan of all…

                          Suddenly, the media tables are turned. Who does the media side with? Does Peter now have the unmitigated right to defend his home with any amount of force necessary against this battered spouse’s representative ‘invading’ her own home to get her belongings back?

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                          • D daryl@lemmy.ca

                            If the only evidence the police have is that the ‘home owner said he broke in’, without any physical evidence of a break in, there is not enough to convict the alleged intruder. If the alleged intruder said ‘he was just visiting to chat about say money or a loan or a mutual lover, and the owner let him in, and a fight ensued’ the police would naturally charge both parties and let the courts decide. If he was let in, there was certainly no ‘home invasion’ until he was asked to go. So far, the general public has zero evidence-based facts to go on. Just back and forth accusations, and a very injured person. And the media concentrating on the vague statements of only one participant (actually, it appears they are depending on the statements of a third party who was not even present, but ‘just herd that…’).

                            A lot of posters here are putting words into the mouth of police that the police never stated. What we do have is the official statement of the police as cited in this article. Everything else is media hype.

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                            showroom7561@lemmy.ca
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #86

                            If the only evidence the police have is that the ‘home owner said he broke in’, without any physical evidence of a break in, there is not enough to convict the alleged intruder. If the alleged intruder said ‘he was just visiting to chat about say money or a loan or a mutual lover, and the owner let him in, and a fight ensued’ the police would naturally charge both parties and let the courts decide. If he was let in, there was certainly no ‘home invasion’ until he was asked to go.

                            For sure, and I agree with all that.

                            However, the police already charged the guy with break & enter, as well as a weapon charge and one or two other charges. Sounds like they had enough evidence, and only the B&E has to stick for this to be a home invasion. The weapon’s charge doesn’t help the guy, as it shows some intent to harm the homeowner.

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                            • ohshit604@sh.itjust.worksO ohshit604@sh.itjust.works

                              cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/44480641

                              Link to the original article, including the update

                              Link Preview Image
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                              programmingsocks@pawb.social
                              wrote on last edited by programmingsocks@pawb.social
                              #87

                              I have learned very little about this because it’s extremely obvious we are learning a politically spun version of the story to drum up a hysteria. Not interested in being involved in that.

                              It is also completely true and well-known that in Canada you do not have unlimited rights to take a life as soon as someone crosses an imaginary border, as you might in the States. I think that’s fine, and the fantasy of “defending yourself” is an American invention of hyperindividualism. The very same that has been absolutely ripping apart their society at the seams. Not really interested in following in their footsteps there.

                              isolatedscotch@discuss.tchncs.deI 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • P programmingsocks@pawb.social

                                I have learned very little about this because it’s extremely obvious we are learning a politically spun version of the story to drum up a hysteria. Not interested in being involved in that.

                                It is also completely true and well-known that in Canada you do not have unlimited rights to take a life as soon as someone crosses an imaginary border, as you might in the States. I think that’s fine, and the fantasy of “defending yourself” is an American invention of hyperindividualism. The very same that has been absolutely ripping apart their society at the seams. Not really interested in following in their footsteps there.

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                                isolatedscotch@discuss.tchncs.de
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #88

                                why are we defending thief and robbers again?

                                I think that’s fine, and the fantasy of “defending yourself” is an American invention of hyperindividualism

                                You’ll find that all this thinking quickly disappears when you find a man ravaging your closets at 4am

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                                • isolatedscotch@discuss.tchncs.deI isolatedscotch@discuss.tchncs.de

                                  why are we defending thief and robbers again?

                                  I think that’s fine, and the fantasy of “defending yourself” is an American invention of hyperindividualism

                                  You’ll find that all this thinking quickly disappears when you find a man ravaging your closets at 4am

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                                  programmingsocks@pawb.social
                                  wrote on last edited by programmingsocks@pawb.social
                                  #89

                                  People don’t steal for no reason. It is usually desperation, a last resort. If we remove the pressure causing people to feel that stealing is their only option, people won’t steal. I fundamentally believe in providing people their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) because it makes these problems irrelevant. Ex-cons will tell you themselves that they felt they had absolutely no other option to keep themselves or their family alive. Give them the other option.

                                  As for your fear bait, I’m more scared of dying via car because it’s FAR more statistically likely than your invented scenario.

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                                  • P programmingsocks@pawb.social

                                    People don’t steal for no reason. It is usually desperation, a last resort. If we remove the pressure causing people to feel that stealing is their only option, people won’t steal. I fundamentally believe in providing people their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) because it makes these problems irrelevant. Ex-cons will tell you themselves that they felt they had absolutely no other option to keep themselves or their family alive. Give them the other option.

                                    As for your fear bait, I’m more scared of dying via car because it’s FAR more statistically likely than your invented scenario.

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                                    isolatedscotch@discuss.tchncs.de
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #90

                                    People don’t steal for no reason. It is usually desperation, a last resort. If we remove the pressure causing people to feel that stealing is their only option, people won’t steal. I fundamentally believe in providing people their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) because it makes these problems irrelevant.

                                    While i wholeheartedly agree on supporting people both economically and with basic needs, i call bullshit on this one

                                    try to explain that food, clothing and help is available to the guy high on weed, meth and/or heroin stealing your money to get another hit

                                    If you need to resort theft because you actually need food go stealing at Walmart’s, not my house

                                    As for your fear bait, I’m more scared of dying via car because it’s FAR more statistically likely than your invented scenario.

                                    Ok? Feel free to be scared of whatever you want, the chance someone breaks into your house is still there, no matter how low (not that low, especially in some neighborhoods), and i’m not about to treat intruders gently. They chose to steal, they chose to steal from houses, and they chose my house. I had no choice in this, nor should i face the consequences of someone’s else actions which i could not control in any way

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                                    • S showroom7561@lemmy.ca

                                      If the only evidence the police have is that the ‘home owner said he broke in’, without any physical evidence of a break in, there is not enough to convict the alleged intruder. If the alleged intruder said ‘he was just visiting to chat about say money or a loan or a mutual lover, and the owner let him in, and a fight ensued’ the police would naturally charge both parties and let the courts decide. If he was let in, there was certainly no ‘home invasion’ until he was asked to go.

                                      For sure, and I agree with all that.

                                      However, the police already charged the guy with break & enter, as well as a weapon charge and one or two other charges. Sounds like they had enough evidence, and only the B&E has to stick for this to be a home invasion. The weapon’s charge doesn’t help the guy, as it shows some intent to harm the homeowner.

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                                      daryl@lemmy.ca
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #91

                                      The police charged both allegedly known characters, probably realizing that the stories each one were giving them were probably minimally related to the true facts, and decided to leave everything up to defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, and juries to sort out. Police just are not paid enough, nor are there enough of them, nor is it even in their pay grade, to sort out scenarios like this. The absolute worst thing they could do is to ‘assume the facts not in evidence’ and make their charges based on these ‘assumed facts’, and missing the true crime. They charged him with ‘break and enter’ simply because some of the evidence available could imply that a ‘break and enter’ did happen, but it does not mean there actually was a ‘break and enter’ until a judge determines there was.

                                      It is very common for police to lay charges that seem to fit the available evidence, but withdraw the charges when more evidence becomes available.

                                      If I have a screwdriver in my hand, during some altercation, even if there was a legitimate reason for having it, I could be charged with having a dangerous weapon. The act of possessing the screwdriver itself itself says nothing about ‘intent to harm’, it is how that screwdriver was handled and used that determines the charge. In this case, that ‘intent’ could easily just have been inferred by hearsay evidence, and would not stand up in court.

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