GA: 73-Year-Old Woman Shoots Burglar: Serves Police Treats

Gun Watch ^ | 22 August, 2014 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Suspect Jaime Lewis

When you are an elderly woman, you are likely to have more leeway in how you interact with criminals.  It is partly a matter of being more vulnerable; and partly a matter of the statistics reinforcing the stereotype that women are less aggressive than men.  In Georgia, a 73-Year-Old woman shot an intruder through her bedroom door, after he had broken into the house.  The woman heard the doorbell ring a little before 10 pm, but did not answer.  She saw a truck parked in the middle of an intersection, and called 911.   From ajc.com:

Moments later, however, she heard glass shattering and then the pottery she placed in front of her backdoor breaking so she grabbed her gun.

According to the report, Douglas stayed in the bedroom but she “could see light from a flashlight getting closer from under the door. When she heard the doorknob turn, she fired one shot through the door.

“She then heard a scream on the other side of the door and the subject fled downstairs. Douglas went downstairs and saw the subject in the kitchen looking for the back door. She fired several more shots in the general direction of the subject as he ran outside.”

Georgia has a castle doctrine law that allows for a person to use force, including deadly force:

A person is justified in threatening or using force against another when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to prevent or terminate such other's unlawful entry into or attack upon a habitation; however, such person is justified in the use of force which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm only if:

   (1) The entry is made or attempted in a violent and tumultuous manner and he or she reasonably believes that the entry is attempted or made for the purpose of assaulting or offering personal violence to any person dwelling or being therein and that such force is necessary to prevent the assault or offer of personal violence;

   (2) That force is used against another person who is not a member of the family or household and who unlawfully and forcibly enters or has unlawfully and forcibly entered the residence and the person using such force knew or had reason to believe that an unlawful and forcible entry occurred; or

   (3) The person using such force reasonably believes that the entry is made or attempted for the purpose of committing a felony therein and that such force is necessary to prevent the commission of the felony.

 It appears to me that the necessary conditions are met for paragraph (3).

Suspect Jaime Lewis turned up at a medical center with a bullet wound to the chest.   

I also believe that the woman enjoys good relations with the local police department.   She was at the police department parking lot, handing out snacks, when reporters approached, and she left.

  ©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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[marktwain]

Good relations with police is a positive thing.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Close to me in Des Moines Iowa a similar thing. Older woman who lives in a not good part of town. Thugs broke into her home. She shot thugs; emptying her gun in the process. Police arrive and help her reload her gun!

[JRandomFreeper]

Don't know why, but thought about you.

/johnny

[American Constitutionalist]

Happy Ending Feel Good Fuzzy Warm Feelings story of a thug meeting his creator sooner than he thought he would.

[Lurker]

We are on a first name basis with our local PD. running the Neighborhood Watch for almost a decade builds real good will. It’s served other more private purposes as well.

[GladesGuru]

The article didn’t say “Scumbo” died, just that he turned up at a hospital with a chest wound.

[American Constitutionalist]

Yes, I saw that after I read it, my bad , but anyway thugs meeting their creator sooner than they thought while committing a violent crime, a fuzzy feel good story.
They reap what they sow unless God intervenes.

[moovova]

Now THAT’S a classy grandma.

[Domangart]

They spent big bucks on him and billed the county. Everyone chipped in to pay the bill.

[rockrr]

...when reporters approached, and she left.

Yep - she's got good instincts alright! ;')

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

“Did I git him? Did I git him?”

“Yes Ma’am, you plugged him good.”

[GeronL]

and then offer them hard candy that has been in a bowl on the table for years and years

[DemforBush]

“Suspect Jaime Lewis turned up at a medical center with a bullet wound to the chest.”

Center of mass! Way to go, Grandma!

“She was at the police department parking lot, handing out snacks, when reporters approached, and she left.”

Ha ha! That’s awesome.

[bgill]

Had hoped for a better outcome. Thug is still alive to do it again when he gets out of jail.

[trisham]

Now that is a proper lady.

[Himyar]

Definitely a well brought up Southern lady.

[real saxophonist]

That’s how we do it in Georgia.

[trisham]

:)

[RC one]

she didn’t answer the door and grabbed her gun instead. smart.

[Jim from C-Town]

Breaking and entering is a felony and regardless whether the thug used a pass key or broke a window to gain access, criminal trespass and felony B&E ocurred the moment he stepped over the threshold. So the Castle Doctrine ALWAYS applies in the event of a B&E and Felonious Criminal Trespass.