Althouse: "A Texas father who discovered a man raping his five-year-old daughter and beat him to death with his bare hands will not be charged with homicide under state law."

September 3, 2013

"A Texas father who discovered a man raping his five-year-old daughter and beat him to death with his bare hands will not be charged with homicide under state law."

"Under Texas state law, deadly force is authorized and indeed, justified in order to stop an aggravated sexual assault and coupled with the fact that the harrowing 911 calls made by the father back claims he even tried to save the pedophile's life led to the grand jury's decision."

21 comments:

Gahrie said...: Charge him? I'd be voting to give him the keys to the city.; 9/3/13, 1:52 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: Brutal vigilante justice? Maybe.Also absolutely the right (and truly civilized) thing to do.; 9/3/13, 2:47 PM
MadisonMan said...: Every man with a daughter sympathizes with the Texas father. What a nightmare to live through.; 9/3/13, 2:52 PM
YoungHegelian said...: Read the comments at the article. It's really interesting how the British commenters are almost all supportive of the Texas finding (9 out of 10, as of 4:00PM EDT).

I would not have thought that.; 9/3/13, 3:01 PM
n.n said...: Was it rape or rape-rape?

Under the circumstances, I think that I would respond with exactly the same application of deadly force.; 9/3/13, 3:27 PM
Robert Cook said...: I can't really object. Aside from any discussion of the pros and cons of the death penalty, it's entirely understandable and believable that a parent discovering his child being raped would be so overcome with fury, shock, and horror that he would lose control of his emotions and lash out without restraint.; 9/3/13, 3:30 PM
jimbino said...: Bad decision. Lethal force is only justified if reasonably perceived as necessary to stop an assault.

That's why abortion is always justified: the fetus is assaulting the woman for 9 months and there is no alternative to the act.; 9/3/13, 4:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Charge him?

It would be pitchforks, torches, tar and feathers for any DA stupid enough to try him.

This DA was smart enough to dump it on the GJ...; 9/3/13, 4:05 PM
cubanbob said...: Why was charging him even under consideration?; 9/3/13, 4:37 PM
joethefatman said...: I would have never called 911. The rapist would have been fertilizing a field.; 9/3/13, 4:49 PM
Amy said...: It is a little known fact that you can be liable for violence against someone committing a crime. People often say how they'd shoot anyone breaking into their houses, where in reality, in most states, the laws allowing you to do so are extremely restrictive. There was just a case here of a storeowner who was in his closed-down store cleaning up from a burglary, when the burglars returned, breaking in to steal some more. He shot them, and is facing 7 years in prison on a variety of charges.
>Link here if anyone is interested: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013308280028

Safest place to protect yourself or your family or property, definitely TX. East coast, not so much.; 9/3/13, 4:52 PM
American Liberal Elite said...: Mike Dukakis would have done the same thing.; 9/3/13, 5:31 PM
Firehand said...: Nailing the guy who's raping your daughter is 'vigilante justice'? In a pigs' ass it is. That's defending your daughter.

Which, except in some of the states that've become People's Republics, is legal.; 9/3/13, 6:21 PM
Oso Negro said...: Beat him to death with his bare hands! That, by God, is a Texan.; 9/3/13, 7:22 PM
Paul said...: Caught raping my young daughter?

Molest my daughter in front of me and I'd, whew... Let's just say even Rambo couldn't stop me from doing a series of vicious deeds upon the rapist. And when I was finished I'd cut his head off and stick it on a poll.

And I am a peaceful man.

Now.. next question?; 9/3/13, 9:30 PM
Æthelflæd said...: I love my state, warts and all.; 9/3/13, 10:07 PM
Cargosquid said...: There's justified homicide....and then there is "good riddance."; 9/3/13, 10:24 PM
Kirk Parker said...: Amy,

I note that the state has not condescended to give the peons the details of that case yet. Absent them, who knows if the shooting was justified or not?; 9/4/13, 2:56 AM
Larry J said...: The father did the right thing. Being a good man, he's troubled by taking someone's life. I'd like to think that no jury in America would've convicted him had it gone to court and few DAs would've been dumb enough to press charges. I hope the father and his daughter are getting the help they need to overcome the trauma they suffered.; 9/4/13, 8:14 AM
ken in tx said...: Shoot, shovel, and shut up.; 9/4/13, 1:33 PM
Dr.D said...: Kirk, from all we have read, it was a case of beating him to death with bare hands, not a shooting at all.

I'm proud to be a Texan. Our ways are simple and effective.; 9/4/13, 7:56 PM