Fighting

[jsb889]

Alright fellas, I got a question!

Will I get my right to buy/own a firearm if I get into a fight? I was always under the impression that if I got into a fist fight, the other guy could call for aggrivated assault and I'd be pretty screwed. What would it be if he was just verbally harassing me or a loved one, say my sister or my girlfriend? I would think if he swung at me, I could claim self defense.

Also, while I'm on the subject, pepper spray. If I use pepper spray on someone who I feel physically threatened by, but he makes no real move to hurt me (just threats) what would happen?

This has always had me a little on edge, and I've stayed away from fights if I can. I still will, but I would really like to know what would happen if I was pushed too far I'm sure some members here have gotten a little rowdy and swung a bit.

[dnar]

Hey jsb889,

I've been in a lot of fights when I lived in Hawaii, sometimes I would win and sometimes lose. I lived in very rowdy neighborhoods that were populated with hoods, and I had to defend myself, my family members and friends every so often.

With that said, I was still able to purchase firearms even though I was involved in several fights in the past. But I must mention that I've never looked for trouble or initiated a fight, so no charges were ever brought against me. It was always the other person who started it.

I don't know about the pepper spray issue, maybe someone else can help you with that.

Take care,

Rand

[Statkowski]

The object is to avoid getting into a fight (it's so juvenile). Getting attacked and defending yourself is one thing, but lowering yourself to their level (because your "honor" was offended?) is downright immature.

And if you're carrying a handgun concealed, you DEFINITELY avoid getting into a fight.

Mature people talk out their differences.

[jsb889]

I'm not saying I'm going out to pick on a radom guy in the street until he starts back. What I'm asking, is if (for example) me and my girl are taking a walk. Up comes a guy that does not like her, and harasses her. This fellow will not leave her alone, and follows us for a half an hour, yelling, cursing, and harassing her because he don't like her dad. Would I be able to hit this fellow and be in my rights if he goes to the police with a broken nose?

Stat, I already said I do not pick fights. You do not know the circumstances surrounding any of my issues, please, do not assume things about me. I would not do that to you, or anyone else for that matter. I am much more mature than every person I know that is my age. If I am concealed carrying in the future, knowing the parameters of other means of defense is necessary. I do not, and never will, pick fights with anyone. I do not care about my "honor". Pride is one of the most useless and problem causing feelings there is.

Thanks Rand

[ithinkimamedic]

well from what you have supplied if you hit him first ( I know it sounds dumb) you are definatly in the wrong and guilty of battery at a minimum. I do not know the punishment classification or what else you may get charged with in that case. If he were to strike you first on the other hand you would (possibly) be defending yourself in which case there should be no charges.
Now if you have someone following you around as stated, taunting your girlfirned, etc... you should simply turn this into a police matter. Sounds like harrasment to me. That would be the route I would go.

Either way I would avoid getting into a physical confrontation at all possible cost.
Hope that helps buddy.

Cheers,
Josh

[T Durdin]

It's just part of being a man, eventually even if you try to avoid it you'll probably end up in a conflict sooner or later. Just only do what you have to do to keep yourself from being hurt. It helps to have witnesses who are on your side.

Note the fact that their is a diference in the law between what happens on your own property, or rented property and what happens in a public place. May be one of the lawyer fellas can explain.

All I can coment on is what happened in my own personal experience. Last time I was in a fight, some jerk was in my face and yelling. When he was -a chunk of spit came out and hit me. This occured in public place. When that happened I pushed the mofo away from me. He then started throwing puches and all I did was block him. He did crack me in the face and I proceeded to lock his arm up {I wrestled varsity in HS} and fall on him. I am a large dude and it was prety much end of fight there. There were several witnesses on my side.

We left the area and I had been asked to make a complaint against the dude. It has been my experience in life the first person to complain to cops or whoever is seen as the "victim" and/or believed. We were both cited for harassment, and he was charged with a count of simple assualt, I believe a third class misdemeanor. When it went to court my SO of harassment was thrown out and his charge was reduced to just harasment. I did have medical bills, had to have my nose set but he had to cover that and it was -Basically a boys will be boys deal.

In a prior conflict, these a-holes that lived in the apartment below us had been breaking in our apartment. So there was a general state of unfriendlyness. The cops were out at our building earlier in the night for a domestic with this dude and his GF.

They guy was drunk and threatened my GF with a bottle holding it like a club. She called me and I came outside. He came around the building {our entrances were on oposite sides} and confronted me with his hand behind his back. I knew he didn't have shit. I had a 2x2 and ordered him to show me his hand or I was gonna whack him. He pulled out his hand, empty.

I threw my stick back over my shoulder and proceeded to jump on this dude. For purposes of illustating the situation, I am a large dude 325# + and this guy was maybe 155# soaking wet. Why they gotta start with me.

I cracked him a couple good times and we were wrestling on the ground {I was making him eat dirt} when the cop shows up and jumps on both of us. At this point the cop asks me to help hold the dude down. The guy is flailing like a bucking bronco kicking me and the cop. The cop asked what happened, we give him the run down.

The neighboor was hauled of to jail for 3 days{over a weekend} and I think they charged him with disorderly conduct. Despite the fact he was kicking a cop and freaking out. I did not get a charge as I was defending myself on my {rental}property.

From what I understand from talking to the cops, and take that with a grain of salt, is a fight isn't such a serious matter unless it's a domestic abuse situation or unless someone is seriuosly hospitalized and you weren't justified in doing so.

[MarcS]

Most fights can be avoided. I've talked my way out of several. When you carry a gun that's really your only option. Assholes just aren't worth the hassle most of the time. If you feel threatened however, act as you feel is appropriate. Being passive in a verbal confrontation can be seen as weakness and give someone the courage to start throwing punches. There's a shitload of combat psychology, threat deescalation and fight survival techniques i could discuss, but that's a whole other thread, and a lengthy one at that.

[T Durdin]

There is know way of knowing how any cop will review what has happened and you can end up in deep deep stuff.

Name calling you have to ignore. It's when there's no other choice and the fight is iminent you should do anything at all.

[Thekatar]

If you're carrying a firearm you must look for every possible way out of a fistfight.

Your ego needs to be checked at the door.

[XD45]

if someone is walking around harrasing you for 30minutes, you should have called the police, or walked to the police station.. why would you hit him, and get introuble for something he's causing i? I can see how you would want to but its not worth it, infact its probably what he would want..

sorta sounds like your having problems with the same guy if so just start calling the police and doing it that way, dont end up in the back of a cop car when you could put him in the back of one. keep a firearm close incase he takes it up a notch though, self defense is another story