If it’s illegal, is self defense wrong?
A news story I read made me start thinking about people who carry self defense tools without a permit. According to the news report, Flair Lamont Griggs, a seventeen-year-old from York, Pennsylvania, was often at odds with fellow youth Joseph Gomez, Jr.. Their animosity toward each other was strong enough that Griggs decided to carry a firearm to be able to protect himself from Gomez.
Griggs found himself in just that situation. Gomez, backed by three of his friends, drew a pistol on Griggs in a McDonald’s parking lot. In response, Griggs drew his own illegally carried pistol and shot down Gomez. The entire exchange was captured on surveillance tape.
In other circumstances, Griggs’ situation may have been considered a cut-and-dry self defense case. However, because the teen was carrying his self defense firearm illegally, he now faces three to seven years in prison.
Is Griggs’ prison sentence the better of two evils, or should the teen have found a different—legal—means of self defense?
Featured image courtesy of contributor ephraimphotography via istockphoto.com
Possessing an object is not a crime beause simply possessing an object does not create a victim.
BruceHatfield
Actually, it does show the lack of logic on the whole idea of “asking permission” from government to exercise a basic human right. I think there are only two logical choices in such cases, either government/police have to be held responsible for protection of people denied access to the tools necessary for self defense or government needs to not interfere with a person obtaining the training and tools needed for self defense. I really do not think we have the tax money to pay for perfect protection in such cases, leaving only one rational possibility.
AlessioBaldi
The jury should have found him not guilty on the gun charges. Jury nullification is a time honored method of justice.
Its very wrong, I’m riddled with guilt sometimes here in NJ, but I will leave my gun in a safe if all the criminals promise to hand in theirs and stop criminal activity….. ;o)
I live in york, pa a couple miles from where this happened and I am actually quite surprised to see this story posted here my opinion is he wouldn’t even be around to stand trial if he wasnt carrying and I dont believe anybody’s life is worth upholding the law when the other person is clearly the aggressor with intent to kill this kid wasn’t out robbing people at gunpoint and shooting up the neighborhood for no reason and believe me plenty of that goes on around here like alot of places around the United States I believe they should take into account exactly what went on the law isn’t always black and white there’s always different variables