Felony Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon - Not Guilty
Jun 11, 2019OUTCOME: Not Guilty
In a convoluted case that should never have been filed, an Indianapolis man was recently charged with two felony counts of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. The weapon in question had been a ... BB gun, and the only reason the defendant had brought it with him onto his front porch was because he’d observed a stranger reaching onto his property and laying hands on his dog. The defendant eventually learned that a utility company employee had come to shut the defendant’s water off and had been frightened by his dog. The skittish utility company worker had then called animal control, and it had been an animal control employee who’d been trying to restrain the defendant’s dog. Neither the utility worker nor the animal control employee had announced their presence or intentions. Following a day-long jury trial, justice was served, and the defendant—whose great crime had been rushing to protect his dog—was found NOT GUILTY on all counts. That’s not to say the State is okay with its citizens pointing weapons at each other, but Indiana does recognize a person’s right to defend themselves, their dwelling, and their property. Even where a mistake is involved, you can still claim self-defense as long as you reasonably believed it to be necessary.
