What happened last night was that I was walking out of the train station to walk the 2 blocks to my home. I noticed about 3 guys standing on the corner. I got a phone call and was talking on the phone down the block. I heard someone say "let's get his phone" and the 3 guys charged after me. They knocked me down causing the phone to fly out of my hand and one guy was holding me to the ground. I keep a small pocket knife in my pocket which came HANDY in this sitaution as I was able to reach in my pocket with my arm, take out the knife, and I swung it at the guy's arm. I scraped his arm with the knife and he shouts "the guy's got a knife!". When he let go of me I swung at him with the knife across the face and he fell to the ground. They dropped my phone and ran off. i walked away with the knife and phone and left the guy on the sidewalk.
I said NOTHING. Didn't report anything in. Am I REQUIRED to or is it best to lay low and never mention it? I defended myself justly.
2007-11-02 08:16:38 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Um.. why should I give a damn about the condition of the person who tried to harm me?? I sure wasn't calling no ambulance for him.
2007-11-02 08:27:24 · update #1
DO NOT REPORT IT. You'll be charged with assault with a deadly weapon. The first swing you took at the guy's arm would be considered self-defense, but then he let you go and you swiped him again across the face. The DA would say the guy had let you go, so he was no longer a threat. That makes that second swipe a felony. Trust me on this one -- you're facing hard time in lock-up if the police find out. Yes, you did the right thing, and yes, you have the right to defend yourself, but the law says you cannot attack anymore if your opponent stops attacking and/or starts retreating.
2007-11-02 08:27:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I don't believe I would say anything now. Perhaps this simple documentation where you wrote this question may come in handy, if the jerk ever decides to report it. At least you will have a record of your side of the story, when it was fresh. To make a report now, I'm afraid would look like you were trying to cover for something. I don't know what state you are in, and different states do have different self defense laws, as stupid as they may be. Usually, you have to be in fear for your life to inflict serious injury on another - I would say three thugs attacking one guy is pretty threatening. I would think the threat was clear. But then, once they shout "knife" that could have indicated the threat was over and they were trying to get away from you. I would just thank my lucky stars for my safety and stay quiet.
2007-11-02 08:48:00 · answer #2 · answered by .. .this can't be good 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, personally, I'd feel a bit guilty because you did harm someone and you didn't necessarily know they were going to harm you. Also, they might get you for posessing a knife for no particular reason and the fact that you swiped the knife at him the second time, even when he had let go. You'd probably get away with the scratch on the arm as self-defense but after that, it could turn into assult as he was actually backing-off.
2007-11-02 08:30:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you report it you will have to go thru all sorts of hassles just in the paperwork. You did nothing wrong, This was self defense. However, by not reporting it you are giving these guys a chance to pick on someone else later. If you think you can identify them, you might be able to help the police catch them. However, you will then have to go to court etc. You arent required to do anything but it depends on how much you feel that it's your civic duty to do so.
2007-11-02 08:27:56 · answer #4 · answered by Diane M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A law that would require you to report would be a state or local law. I don't know of this requirement.
That being said, the police tend to look at situations like this, if you are innocent of wrong doing and a victim of a crime you would have reported the crime. After all you had your phone.
If your story is 100% truthful and is not omitting anything I think in the end you would be okay.
2007-11-02 08:22:28 · answer #5 · answered by davidmi711 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you were in fact defending yourself then you need to report it immediatley. The president of the united states has made self defense legal in the united states if you are in fear of your life. You might be right to not care about the guy you cut, but what if his next victim is someone you love and next time he has the knife.
2007-11-02 12:45:39 · answer #6 · answered by alp807 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have learned the first rule of a knife fight....(A.) Have a knife!
Better yet...(If your state allows you to) Go and get some training, and your CCW (Concealed Weapons Permit) and get yourself a "Real" self defense weapon...because the second rule in a Knife fight is..(B.) BRING A GUN, and know how to use it!...because the "Other Guy" might already have one.......then, Who is going to be giving the "After Action" story.....because it's not going to be you!.....
T.S.
ARFCOM, We run the Interweb!
2007-11-02 08:28:39 · answer #7 · answered by electronic_dad 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Do not report anything to the police without contacting an attorney unless your are extremely well versed in the self defense laws of your jurisdiction. Ignorance is no protection under the law and even though you are in the "right" you may not know that you violated the law.
2007-11-02 08:26:24 · answer #8 · answered by elephant t 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's ok to carry a knife with you if the blade is shorter than your thumb or so I hear. You didn't do anything wrong, I just wouldn't go through there for a while because they might be waiting for you. find a alternate route.
2007-11-02 10:52:20 · answer #9 · answered by Carlos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't report it, you are a fool if you do. These guys are not going to report you because it was three against one, they have a loosing case. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It's not like the cops were around to protect you.
2007-11-02 08:43:12 · answer #10 · answered by John 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋