This happened in Maryland, not Texas. East Coast jurisdictions are VERY particular about what they consider allowable use of violence.

Rather than bar the door to the garage and call the police, the student armed himself and went into the garage. The law could very well look at that as a provocative act that lead to a man being killed, and one where confrontation could have easily have been avoided.

Americans think that "Your home is your castle" and that you can just up and kill an intruder and claim self-defense. That's a myth, and a lot of would-be Clint Eastwoods & Charles Bronsons are in jail for believing it.

[url="http://www.amazon.com/Gravest-Extreme-Firearm-Personal-Protection/...

This happened in Maryland, not Texas. East Coast jurisdictions are VERY particular about what they consider allowable use of violence.

Rather than bar the door to the garage and call the police, the student armed himself and went into the garage. The law could very well look at that as a provocative act that lead to a man being killed, and one where confrontation could have easily have been avoided.

Americans think that "Your home is your castle" and that you can just up and kill an intruder and claim self-defense. That's a myth, and a lot of would-be Clint Eastwoods & Charles Bronsons are in jail for believing it.

In The Gravest Extreme is about guns not swords, but it's pretty thorough on the subject of what you need to consider before using a weapon in self defense.

If someone attacks you, you fight back, and they fall and crack their skull open, you could end up charged with manslaughter. If there's the slightest bit of evidence that the burglar was trying to escape rather than attack him, the student is almost definitely going to trial for manslaughter, if not worse.

Foxyarse is right; the law allows reasonable force. And even if you're attacked, the moment you respond with an iota of more force than is reasonable to protect yourself or an innocent,you become the criminal.

Especially out east. Like I said, Maryland in not Texas.

In my state you can use lethal force if someone is in your home and you feel your life is threatened. I quote:

"Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed a bill, HB 1097, to legalize the use of deadly force against any intruder into a home, business or vehicle.

A shooter would not have to persuade police that he believed his life was in immediate danger because the changes incorporated in the legislation would presume he acted "reasonably" if evidence shows the entry was unlawful and forced.

Under previous Louisiana law, someone who kills an intruder must prove in court that the use of deadly force was necessary.

The governor earlier signed a companion bill, HB 89, to allow the legal use of force to ...

In my state you can use lethal force if someone is in your home and you feel your life is threatened. I quote:

"Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed a bill, HB 1097, to legalize the use of deadly force against any intruder into a home, business or vehicle.

A shooter would not have to persuade police that he believed his life was in immediate danger because the changes incorporated in the legislation would presume he acted "reasonably" if evidence shows the entry was unlawful and forced.

Under previous Louisiana law, someone who kills an intruder must prove in court that the use of deadly force was necessary.

The governor earlier signed a companion bill, HB 89, to allow the legal use of force to ward off a violent attack in a home, business or vehicle."