4 armed robbers Vs. 1 Jujitsu Expert

I had a situation ten years ago. Was driving a Taxi part time. 15 year old decided to rob me and hit me with a baseball bat. I defended myself and broke his ribs.
When I went to court, the judge said "Since you have Martial Arts training, I am going to charge you with excessive use of force"
Go figure that one

Still have pains in shoulder. Take Aleve every day. Also 5 years probation

I hate to say it -- but it sounds like you should have had a better attorney. Seems like a pretty clear case of self-defense, and a good attorney should have been able to justify lethal force in the same situation. It shouldn't have mattered whether you were trained or not...

This is a great example of why you want a good attorney on your side in court; in fact, you want the best attorney you can get, even if it means going into debt if you're liberty is on the line! My teacher taught me a saying:
By the time a fool learns the rules, the players have left the field.
The courtroom is no place to be fumbling with the rules...
 
I hate to say it -- but it sounds like you should have had a better attorney. Seems like a pretty clear case of self-defense, and a good attorney should have been able to justify lethal force in the same situation. It shouldn't have mattered whether you were trained or not...

This is a great example of why you want a good attorney on your side in court; in fact, you want the best attorney you can get, even if it means going into debt if you're liberty is on the line! My teacher taught me a saying: The courtroom is no place to be fumbling with the rules...

Absolutely, 100% right, jks. How anyone with a reasonable law degree couldn't establish that a baseball bat constitutes deadly force... I'm still looking for my jaw on the floor, after reading this.
 
How anyone with a reasonable law degree couldn't establish that a baseball bat constitutes deadly force... I'm still looking for my jaw on the floor, after reading this.

Well, the judges are not automata, slaves to whatever inputs the lawyer puts in. Given the info present in the post, it looks like the poster had a biased judge to whom a good or even great lawyer might not have made much of a difference.
 
The problem was the attacker was only 15 years old. And that is considered "attack on a "minor"
 
The problem was the attacker was only 15 years old. And that is considered "attack on a "minor"
Again -- I have to question how competent your attorney was, based on the scant details you've given. The baseball bat doesn't care how old the person swinging it is -- or how old the target is.

That said -- I can also think of several reasons why you could have been in the wrong. For example, if the attacker was retreating, and you chased him. Or if you kicked him significantly after he'd dropped the bat and no longer present such an imminent threat of serious bodily harm. In other words -- I'm not immediately damning your lawyer; the devil is all too often in the details of a self-defense claim.
 
Again -- I have to question how competent your attorney was, based on the scant details you've given. The baseball bat doesn't care how old the person swinging it is -- or how old the target is.

That said -- I can also think of several reasons why you could have been in the wrong. For example, if the attacker was retreating, and you chased him. Or if you kicked him significantly after he'd dropped the bat and no longer present such an imminent threat of serious bodily harm. In other words -- I'm not immediately damning your lawyer; the devil is all too often in the details of a self-defense claim.
Perpetrator sung the bat and hit my shoulder, I let out with a side kick to the ribs. I was still wearing steel toe boots from my day job and according to his attorney this is what caused his ribs to break.
 
As much as I hate to seem barbaric, I won't deny that my soldier's instincts kicked in when I got done reading and watching the story posted. I'm proud of that man for standing up and defending himself and I applaud him. Not only has he sent a message to would be criminals out there, but he has given his community an eye opening opportunity to come together.

When I think about the loss of life I can't help but feel pity for the family of the attacker who died, losing a loved one is never easy no matter how rotten they may be as a person. However, when it comes down to 4 armed attackers and a life or death situation, I would not hesitate to use techniques that could kill someone to save my own life, granted I wouldn't want to kill anyone, but given my options in that situation, if someone dies so be it, as long as it isn't me.

I myself have taken lives while in service to my country, I don't talk about it, nor do I tolerate questions about it from relatives or close friends. They know me and they know that I value all life no matter how big or small, and that I'm a peaceful person. The only thing I think I've ever said about it when asked was to explain it situationally. When faced with the choice of kill or be killed, human instinct takes over, you do what you must and try not to dwell on it afterwards.

I'm saddened to see a life extinguished no matter who's life it may be, however given the overwhelming odds the victim was facing and the fact that it was a matter of life and death, I am proud and grateful that he's with us today to share his experiences with the youth of tomorrow.
 
There's more to the story (I posted some links here on FMAT) but so far no news on what's happening legally. They talk about his VSK jujutsu martial arts background and his previous self-defense experience against a gun-wielding mugger who nearly died in the encounter.

This essay inspired by the incident, about New Yorkers and self-defense, is especially interesting (registration may be required):
When Crime Was Always on Our Minds
 
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