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Originally Posted by Enzo_Guy
Best idea I've heard for a 5-shot 12-gauge is have the first shot be rubber buckshot, this idea is good because the laws tend to be less strict on the homeowner if he hit the intruder with non-lethal ammo. The laws are also less strict if you hi him with non-lethal first but instead he keeps coming, so then #8 or above is good. The other three should be slugs so in case there were a firefight (the intruder having his owwn gun) and he ran, a slug is a good way to make that running criminal know that you mean business.
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First off, "rubber buckshot" and "non-lethal munitions" ARE potentially lethal in close quarters. Any lawyer can easily argue, correctly too, that you were using deadly force. If your "non-lethal" shotshell turns out to be lethal what are you going to say? OOPS I didn't think it would do that!!?? One jury will decide how long you will serve for second degree murder, another will decide how much you owe his family dollar-wise. Any explanation you offer the jury will make you look worse. Also if you don't kill them, you can count on at a minimum some pretty nasty trauma and very likely maiming for life...especially if fired in tight quarters. When the prosecution is running the slideshow of giant welps, bruises and disfigured facial features to the civil suit jury you can go ahead and accept paying that s.o.b. the rest of your life. It will get turned around on you 10 different ways so just some advice from a guy who has used the non-lethal munitions in a few places...leave it for riot control where it belongs and use OC pepper spray if you insist on using non-lethal force first.
Second, if the threat is running away when you shoot him...the jury has every right to decide he was no longer a threat and your deadly force at that point was no longer justified. It may not matter what happened up until they ran. Once they flee then you are no longer in danger of loss of your life. The
wording of the law in your local area and state may make what you described second degree murder and by law the jury could have little or no choice in naming you guilty.
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