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I disagree. It may be stupid over zealousness, but it's not a civil rights violation. Civil rights revolve around a persons rights to equal treatment free from unfairness or discrimination. There is nothing in this case to suggest that the neighbors acted in any way that was discriminatory or racially motivated, or motivated by anything other than a desire to protect the neighborhood & that particular property.
That's not to say I think what they did was right. I understand wanting to be sure that no one was breaking in, and calling the police when the people trying to open the door were unable to provide a shred of evidence they belonged there was the right thing to do. Holding them at gunpoint seems over the line to me.
A charge of unlawful detainment might be warranted but even that might not hold up. Despite your belief that only the police have the right to detain someone, every state in the nation recognizes the rights of citizens to effect an arrest and detain a person if they have significant reason to believe that the person they are arresting has committed a crime.
You missed where I said the police COULD HAVE (but didn't) HOLD the "suspected hoodlums" while checking out their story. Instead, they charged them. As for detaining someone - it's called "citizens arrest" however, to my knowledge, the force used should not be greater than the possible harm - two guns for prowling is hardly an equal amount of force - it is severely overkill - and could have resulted in bodily harm when no injuries were imminent except for the overzealousness of the neighbors. Additionally, when the force is severe enough - in this case, threat of being shot, the citizens doing the arrest are subject to civil rights violations lawsuit and can still be charged (and SHOULD be) with kidnapping - which by definition is the unlawful holding/detaining of someone against their will.
The means of preventing lock changing of someone ELSE's property does not extend to the use of firearms. It is like using a torpedo to sink a rubber duck. Excessive is not the word.
And people want to know why I am somewhat reclusive because of people such as those neighbors. I enjoy the company of animals much more than people as animals only do what they have to for survival but the human race they do it for nastiness.
Anybody going outside their home/off their property with a gun and confronting someone is a fool, idiot, ahole, etc. and this from a licensed to carry gun owner.
I'm still waiting on why this is discrimination? I'm not excusing or advocating the behavior of the neighbors but I see no indication of discrimination.
1-We don't know the race of the entire family that bought the house.
2-We don't know the race of the neighbors.
3-We don't know the race of the arresting officer.
4-There is no indication anywhere that race played a role in any of the events. Only that the neighbor thought someone was breaking into the house and played vigilante.
It's good to have watch dog neighbors. They aren't even necessarily bad people. They were trying to prevent what they thought was a crime. They just went too far.
-The male buyers race was Afro American
-Neighbors race was Caucasian
-Arresting officer race has nothing to do with the arrest
-The neighbor's actions were clearly unprovoked, unlawful and they should have beeen shot as soon as they attempted to enter and arrest someone in the Afro American's home. Also, when the neighbor showed his gun to the Afro AMerican he could have been shot and should have been because he was threatening with intent to "kill" the Afro American.
anybody going outside their home/off their property with a gun and confronting someone is a fool, idiot, ahole, etc. And this from a licensed to carry gun owner.
I would have offered them cookies and coffee, after expressing my gratitude that they are looking out for my property. I'd love to have such neighbors.
Then again, they would know us because I think it's a good idea to talk to the neighbors before moving into a new home, and ask them to tell us the good and the bad about the area.
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