What about the castle doctrine? I always thought it was legal to shoot someone if they entered your home in the states......
A couple of years ago we had this case play out in Oklahoma. Google, Jerome Ersland.
He owned a pharmacy which had been robbed at gunpoint on several occasions. Mr. Ersland armed himself and on the next robbery attempt, by two robbers, pulls and fires on them, hitting one while the other flees. Mr Ersland chases the fleeing robber out the door, who escapes in an awaiting getaway car. Upon reentering the pharmacy Mr. Ersland walks up to the first robber, on the floor, and fires again. All this was caught on surveillance video.
Mr. Ersland was convicted of 1st Degree Murder. While he was justified in the use of deadly force during the initial robbery, while being threaten with a gun by the robbers, he was not justified upon reentry as the perpetrator was no longer a threat. If he had shot the other as he fled he would have been guilty there as well.
The Castle doctrine, or "make my day law" here in Okla. applies only to the "Home". If someone unlawfully enters/invades your home while you are inside, you have the right to defend yourself by lethal means. There's legislation underway to extend that to businesses but hasn't made it into law. IMHO, you're justified in defending your life anywhere, but carte-blanche status inside a business like your home may not be the best idea.
