There are 4 kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.” -Ambrose Bierce
Every human being has a fundamental right to protect himself, his family, and his home. In the last legislative session, the Texas Legislature further clarified that right in what is known as the Castle Doctrine (a person's home is his Castle). You do not have to wait until an attacker successfully hurts or maims you to be justified in using deadly force. If a reasonable person faced with your situation would have done the same thing to protect himself, his home, or another person then the use of deadly force in self-defense is justified. It is important to understand that this judgment is made by a judge, jury, or prosecutor. In our experience, the use of suggesting that a killing was in self-defense is the most common method that the police are able to elicit confessions. While a detective may suggest or agree in an interrogation that the killing was in self-defense, a police officer is allowed to lie about his opinion if it assists in coaxing a confession. In any situation where a death results from your actions you should immediately consult with a lawyer before making any statement to the police. |
