Quote from Magna:
And that's only if you can demonstrate to the satisfaction of a jury that you were in imminent danger. For instance, a short while ago AAA posted a video advertisement made by a gunshop with a pretty girl at home who, with fully automatic machine gun fire, blows away a lurker while the bad guy was only carrying a knife and had not even entered her home. It was exciting to watch, some even said sexy, but she would probably be tried for murder, no less than manslaughter, as she was not in any imminent danger. Imminent means immediate, not 5 minutes from now. And on top of that she would probably have a civil suit brought against her for, among other things, excessive force, etc. In my homestate a man was sent to prison for a couple of years for using excessive force because he shot an attacker outside (in the woods) with a 10mm pistol which is a fairly large caliber. Dirty Harry and his .44 Magnum might be cool on the big screen, but in most jurisdictions and self-defense situations that is considered excessive force.
Usually called "Castle Laws" they permit the use of deadly force if you are in imminent danger, but generally not for the protection of property.
That's true, no matter how you feel about it. And get this -- punks with tire irons could trash your new Ferrari right in front of you, and you have no right to use lethal force if your life is not in imminent danger.
Agreed. It will almost always work against you. Remember, Miranda says, "Anything you say can and will be used against you." It doesn't say it will be used for your benefit.
Bottom line, most people here think you have a right to "defend" your property. In one sense you do, but in almost all cases you don't if that includes lethal force. An excellent book that explains the way things are (rather than the way you want them to be) is "In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection" by Massad Ayoob, a former police officer, instructor, and firearms specialist. I feel bad for the elderly man mentioned by the OP but he was wrong to use lethal force in that situation. I live in a very gun-friendly state (Arizona), took a course for a concealed permit, and it was a real eye-opener as to the way things actually work regarding criminal and civil liability compared to the "self-defense rights" I thought I had. Piss and moan all you want, but find out the reality how you might be placing yourself, your family, and your life savings at risk before you transform into Wyatt Earp and enter a situation with guns a' blazing.