Retreat fan meets reality and retaliates

Mike Gallagher:

One wouldn’t think that the state of Texas would have much trouble supporting gun owners who should be allowed to defend their family or themselves in their own homes, cars or places of business. But until recently, Texas didn’t have a “castle doctrine” law on the books.

The concept behind a “castle doctrine” is that a man’s home is his castle and if a bad guy is stupid enough to try and enter a man’s home to do him or his family harm, the man should have the right to blow the intruder into kingdom come (provided the homeowner is licensed to carry).

Oddly enough, Texas didn’t have such a law. In fact, the legal expectation was that someone under attack in their own home had a “duty” to retreat before using deadly force.

Finally, Lone Star State lawmakers came to their senses and passed legislation that becomes effective September 1st. From now on, there will be no “duty to retreat” and men (and women) can defend themselves.

But not every elected official in Texas voted for this legislation. One of the spineless wonders who voted against the Texas law is a Democrat from Houston named Borris Miles.

Miles voted vote against House Bill 284, joining a small group of dissenters who amazingly saw fit to deny a Texan the ability to use lawful force against a criminal.

Now it completely baffles me how anyone with a lick of sense would try and make the ridiculous case that a person minding their own business in their home would have any “duty to retreat” before fending off a lowlife scum’s attack.

Based on what happened this week, Rep. Borris Miles agrees with me.

This is rich. While Miles was fixing a leak on the second floor of a home he’s building in the Houston area, he told police he heard a noise downstairs. When he went to investigate, he discovered two men trying to steal copper.

What do you suppose this anti-gun, bleeding heart liberal did when he confronted two bad guys trying to steal copper from him? Do you think he retreated?

He did not. In fact, I’ll give you a clue as to what Rep. Borris Miles did: “BANG!”

...

Bearing in mind that the new “Castle Doctrine” law doesn’t take affect until Sept 1st, I wonder if Borris Miles might face criminal charges for shooting a guy in his own house?

...

District Attorneys in Texas rarely prosecute under the duty to retreat doctrine that is being replaced. It was at its most pernicious when thieves would sue home owners who defended their property. That is where Miles is probably most at risk. I have not seen any statement from him indicating whether he has changed his mind about his vote. You would think so, though.