February 02, 2007
Cincinnati: Best Place to be a Vigilante
So a 77-year-old Minnesota farmer and local Township Board member by the name of Kenneth Englund has been charged for taking the law into his own hands, chasing down a thief and holding him at gunpoint until police arrived.
A lot of us would like to do what the farmer did in this case, or are at least supportive of such actions, but civilians are simply not allowed to do what this man did.
As the sherrif said:
Sheriff Mike Ammend said people can't take the law into their own hands, and that Englund's actions were "an invitation to a shootout. There's so many things that could have gone wrong here."
Englund has been charged with second-degree assault.
Which brings me back to this.
Paul Hackett did almost the exact same thing in Ohio. The man who drove through his yard has already been sentenced.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters decided not to charge Hackett.
Apparently, vigilante justice is just fine in Hamilton County.
All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at February 2, 2007 01:58 PMPaul Hackett did almost the exact same thing in Ohio.
Assumes facts not in evidence. As I said in that thread, the elements of "aggravated assault" were not shown in the Hackett incident that I'm aware of--and I am NOT a Hackett fan. (Those elements might have been present, but were not cited in the news reports. Only the insiders know for sure.) Namely, we don't know that Hackett actually held the perpetrators "at gunpoint," a required element. Englund did, before chasing them at 70mph while they had a toddler in their vehicle. We don't know if the Hackett incident involved a felony amount of damage. The Englund incident clearly did not. And so on. And different states with different laws, of course.
Posted by: Tully at February 2, 2007 02:38 PMI'll take a neighbor like Kenneth Englund anytime. Law enforcement can't be everywhere and usually arrive after the fact. Englund didn't hurt anyone and should be praised for his actions. Instead, they're sending the wrong message in that we really can't use force when it comes to defending our property. Thanks for emboldening the damn criminals!
Posted by: Hostetter Maginnis at February 3, 2007 01:49 PMSorry, CY, Kenneth Englund was not 'taking the law into his own hands'. As sovereign citizens, the law is already in our hands. We've lent some of our authority to law enforcement for policing purposes, (hired it out, so to speak), but in doing so have not divested ourselves of it. The man did not act as judge, jury or executioner; he merely held the agressor until the *other* law enforcement arrived.
In days gone by, when you called the cops to help with an suspected intruder in your yard, they came and helped you, with your shotgun at the ready, walk the yard. This 'we are the law and we'll handle it' crap, is crap.
Posted by: Cindi at February 3, 2007 02:56 PMI asked a officer frind once about dealing with an intruder he seid to make shoure of 2 things that the perp was dead and that he was all the way in your house (even if you had to get them back in) before you call 911.
Posted by: Rich from Kansas City at February 5, 2007 01:39 PMA child was in WHICH vehicle? Given that the guy is 77, I'm assuming it's in the criminals' vehicle, in which case that would be the fault of the thieves.
I hope they charge him, find him guilty, and give no sentence-- if allowable in that state. If not, find him not guilty.
They should have a good intention law, I believe?
Posted by: Foxfier at February 6, 2007 10:59 AM
