Arizona Case Highlights Pitfalls Of Self-Defense

By Tom Knighton

Defending yourself with your firearm can be traumatic enough. Even pulling out a gun is a terrifying moment, but pulling the trigger? That’s something else entirely. The moment you pull that trigger and take a human life, even if completely justified, your life changes forever.

Now, imagine you’re dealing with that trauma, then have to deal with a prosecutor who wants to see you in prison because you defended your own life.

For an Arizona man, that’s been the reality since 2015.

Almost three years ago, Steven Jones, an 18-year-old freshman at the Northern Arizona University at Flagstaff, and his two friends, were attacked by a drunken mob of fraternity members. One fraternity member ran up to Jones and sucker punched him. Jones friends were down on the ground defending themselves. The fraternity members chased him. Jones ran to his car and retrieved a legally owned and transported Glock pistol. One drunk fraternity member came at him and he fired, killing that member and wounding two others.

According to evidence presented at the first trial, there is little dispute about those facts. The main contention is whether Steven Jones was justified in shooting.

The incident happened on 18 October, 2015. It was …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms