Paul Harrell on Surviving a Self Defense Shooting

[Art]

I'm a bit of a Harrell fan. I enjoy his videos and this one is no exception.

Rule #1 is most important: Avoid conflict like the plague. If you are not in a shooting you are automatically the winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofwUAkcpzDY

Harrell was arrested and charged in the shooting of a man who tried to run over his wife with a truck at a camp ground in Washington state. The other fellow died. According to the newspaper account after the shooting he violated his own advice and said more than he had to to the police before being told by his lawyer to shut up. Its really hard to overcome that tendency.

One thing he doesn't cover that I've always believed a really important matter; I'm no longer a "law dog." I don't have qualified immunity. If I crank off a round in a self defense situation and miss I'm liable for any damage that projectile causes, especially if I hit an innocent person. Texas law provides cover in civil suits for justifiable self defense situations regarding injury or death to the bad guy. There is no such protection for death or injury of an innocent third party.

I've run into people who talk about the possibility of a self defense shooting like they're looking forward to it. Ya know, talk like that and you might hear it again in court if, God forbid, the worst happens and you do have to use deadly force.

Finally, I have never had to shoot anyone myself, though there were a couple of close calls. Everybody I know who has says the same thing; to wit - even if you're completely cleared your life changes forever and, unless you're a psychopath, not for the better.

Old Bobby Bare on avoiding trouble and being the winner. Cute old song but very, very true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvyHiFdacQE

[dryheat]

I'm pretty near deaf now, I don't need to lose anymore hearing.

[Allen]

No, a person shouldn't look forward to a self defense but in this day and time a person needs to be armed, have a plan, avoid situations, travel in groups, etc.

Even the Boy Scouts motto was "Be Prepared". Part of being prepared is thinking about what "if" and what "could" happen. To me, this would not merit looking forward to a happening but picturing what they would do. You don't look forward to your house catching on fire but it's nice to have an escape plan if it does. Thus you think about it ahead of time and may think about it often.

Being a former cop though you may have heard some people talk like they were chomping at the bits to blow someone away. Some of this mindframe may originate from old TV shows portraying soldiers, action hero's, cowboys, cops, and even some cartoon characters being the good guys, the protectors, what they need to grow up to be---always ready to take out the bad guy.

In today's world you have to defend yourself in court if you stop someone from killing or injuring yourself or loved one. You are guilty till proven innocent. This is a big part of the rot of the world we live in now.

I often told my wife and kids that I would go to jail (if need be) to protect them.

[Art]

No, a person shouldn't look forward to a self defense but in this day and time a person needs to be armed, have a plan, avoid situations, travel in groups, etc.

Even the Boy Scouts motto was "Be Prepared". Part of being prepared is thinking about what "if" and what "could" happen. To me, this would not merit looking forward to a happening but picturing what they would do. You don't look forward to your house catching on fire but it's nice to have an escape plan if it does. Thus you think about it ahead of time and may think about it often.

Being a former cop though you may have heard some people talk like they were chomping at the bits to blow someone away. Some of this mindframe may originate from old TV shows portraying soldiers, action hero's, cowboys, cops, and even some cartoon characters being the good guys, the protectors, what they need to grow up to be---always ready to take out the bad guy.

In today's world you have to defend yourself in court if you stop someone from killing or injuring yourself or loved one. You are guilty till proven innocent. This is a big part of the rot of the world we live in now.

I often told my wife and kids that I would go to jail (if need be) to protect them.

All good points.

It isn't just former cops saying things that could get them in trouble if it got to court. I knew a young man who killed a fellow in a dispute over a woman. The shooting was ruled justifiable. He seemed real proud of that and was quick to show me newspaper clippings of the incident. If he should have been involved in a similar incident afterwards the testimony of folks (I'm sure I wasn't the only one) he had bragged to about this shooting wouldn't have been helpful. I was once on a capital murder jury panel in which voire dire turned into a q&a with the prosecutor on the proper use of deadly force. It became "can I shoot him if he does this, or if he does that." It quickly seemed to me that some of these prospective jurors were proactively looking for an excuse. This got old with the prosecutor real quick and she cut off the discussion with the thumbnail tutorial on the justifiable use of force in Texas. A local firearms instructor near me got his drawers in a wringer with the State Police for apparently telling a man he was training that he would shoot him if if the muzzle of his pistol moved toward him (the instructor.) I was actually interviewed by a State Trooper regarding this because I was on the range that day. I didn't hear the conversation but if it happened the instructor was very foolish.

[bruce]

Re: Paul, etc. Talking about life and death is not so difficult when one is not dealing with a life and death situation. Up to your eye balls in fight/flight, etc., hard to see more than a bit of a tunnel till after things have calmed down. Most folks are not going to be non-verbal following such a encounter. Certainly not wise to say anything to police beyond ... "I need to go to the hospital." Say nothing else period. Going to the hospital ... gets you away from police and other such folks. Gets you to medical people who have a completely different view of you and your needs. Gives you time to calm down, think, process, etc. This is best for everyone ... even the police ... and most especially it is best for you. You responding at your best is much better for all concerned than you responding at your worst. Sincerely. bruce.

[Vern Humphrey]

Finally, I have never had to shoot anyone myself, though there were a couple of close calls. Everybody I know who has says the same thing; to wit - even if you're completely cleared your life changes forever and, unless you're a psychopath, not for the better.


I have had to kill men in combat. Uncle Billy Tilghman ("The Marshall of the Last Frontier") said it best. "You watch a man turn into a thing."