In Tennessee there is a law that prohibits the police from charging you with a crime if you use a gun in self defense even if you are illegally carrying one. That law should apply to EVERYONE. Even felons have a right to protect themselves.
I have conflicting views on felons using guns, even for self defense.
To start with, many post-release felons are very aware of the value of having a gun to protect themselves, and will make the extra effort to go before a judge to have that right restored. And it is likewise very common for judges to permit this.
However, the restoration of this right needs judgment. There are many violent, repeat offenders for whom a gun and gun violence is an essential part of their preferred criminal activity. Having a gun may also be essential to their maintaining their criminal associations, or even their “territory”, in the case of street mobs.
Others know that violent retribution likely waits for their release from prison, and knowing that they cannot even use a gun for self defense after release would make them far more cooperative with the authorities in preventing the future crime against them.
Finally, there is the argument of the “situation of self defense”. The laws concerning self defense is predicated on a “normal” citizen being confronted with unexpected aggression and violence; not on someone “looking for a fight”, who finds one that escalates beyond what they wanted. However, all too often, the latter case is the reality.
And with felons, especially those with aggression problems, which is common, only by keeping them disarmed is their aggression undermined. Again, a case for judgment, because while such aggression is borderline to mental illness, it is not typically seen as being mentally ill “enough” to deny a non-felon a gun.
Which of course also brings to light the sad fact that many felons are mentally ill, even if undiagnosed as such, and cannot even determine correctly if they are in a self defense situation.
Put it all together I would have to say, don’t make the use of a gun by a felon for self defense automatic. Let a judge have their say, first.