Repercussions? Tell me how u feel.

* This was found in a copy of Black Belt Magazine, February 2005 edition *

Repercussions
by Hector Echavarria

"Anytime you use excessive force to neutralize a menace, you must be prepared to face legal repercussions. If you seriously injure the other person in the process of defending yourself, you have a moral obligation to call paramedics or an ambulance for him once you have ensured your own safety. It amazes me that people here don't realize that we are all the same; we are all brothers here."

Do you guys agree or disagree? How do you feel about his opinions?

 

ttt

 

I disagree with him. You must be prepared to accept the consequences of your actions, but that goes for the attacker too. If he attacked you first, I certainly don't believe that you have any moral obligation to help him in any way.

 

I disagree ....

.... and "sisters" too :Angel:

 

Usually helping is fine, recovery position etc. but I have no trouble with the 'Hit and Run.' method myself.

 

I disagree with him completely, I actually think humans aren't all equal. Thugs don't contribute anything to society, all they do is ruin the lives of others. He doesn't deserve me to call the ambulance for him, he should have thought about that when he started being a violent prat and if he's incapacitated/dead then that's one less thug to cause trouble for better people. It sickens me that we are expected to "accept the consequences of our actions" when no-one is making them do it.

 

On a legal footing (if I can borrow my wifes feet here )

If you witness, or are involved in a situation where another person is injured, you owe them a "Duty of Care". What this means is open to discussion, but the common perception of this.....including the court, is that an ambulance should be called for injured person(s), or basic First Aid.

I agree with him, Ive helped strangers I saw attacking someone else. Im not in a position to judge circumstances I dont know. And if I injured an attacker, I would call for medical assistance for him/her. Id rather explain myself and my actions to a policeman than have the death of any human being on my hands for the sake of a phone call.

 

To protect myself legally I would call the police first and have them call an ambulance. Once the police get there I would press charges for assault. This way you are the “victim”. Plus this way your attacker not only takes a wiping but also gets to make new close and interesting friends in jail.

 

Actually, that's better put than what I said. WE should be able to make THEM accept the consequences of THEIR actions, not the other way around.

 

My responsibility is to myself first. If the situation has warranted me putting the perpetrator down to the point that he is in danger of death... I realy don't care until aftre I get out of the area and to a place of safety. At that point, I will call "911" and get some assistance to the person if possible and only if it doesn't mean compromising my safety or freedom.

 

Nail. Hammer. Head.

You sir are a shrewd one. I like you

 

Except keep insurance companies in business, police and ambulance workers in jobs, A & E staff, demographic researcher's, not to mention a load of SD class instructors. lol.
Agree with you apart from that though.

 

if I hurt someone bad enough that they need an ambulance, I'm not hanging around!

 

Why? You stated what youd do, implicitly, but not why......

A broken leg may require an ambulance. What if they had a heart attack? Youd let them die? What if they were poor, drunk and they mistook you for the man/woman who ruined their marriage......

there are many circumstances behind every event.......until you know them all, you cannot judge, and I feel, should try to see the best in people.

 

If you are attacked your responsibility is to protect yourself, not to injure the attacker, as MAists we should have a good level of control, there is no need to put everything you've got into a roundhouse aimed at the guys head, because half that force would have the desired effect. Then once you've got the guy down, why leave him to die, that makes you just as bad as him, call the ambulance, at least then the police cant charge you with attempted murder, and if you do end up in court it shows you tried to help the guy despite what he did to you.

 

Exactly. Hit and run. Hit to stun, knock down, whatever, be a hardman in the dojo, in real life, hit only to make an escape path and escape.

The other view is;
Martial arts often preach "To stop violence." (WuTe - peaceful virtue) By 'teaching a mug a lesson' they're less likely to attack the next person, who may be weaker or less confident to yourself.

 

Calling an ambulance is a good way to legally cover yourself, so it's probably the best thing to do, but I still don't think you have any "moral" obligation.

 

Sure, I'll call the coroner after I splatter his brains all over the street.

 

if i were fighting someone and hurt him(not seriously, maybe a broken leg or something) i would call an ambulance, the police and then grab him so he doesn't crawl away.

after the police and ambulance are done i'll wait for then grab him so he doesn't crawl away so i can have a laugh:Angel:

but if i were to seriously hurt him, like cracking three ribs, snaping a shin and nearly busted him punching, then i'll call the ambulance right away, then the police again, and then do anything i can to prevent further injury, i don't need or want someone who attacked me die in a bloody mess or become invalid because of me, for both my weird moral values or the legal action(and the only occasion i would try to leave someone like that is if they got a knife/gun/whatever and don't release it, and i fail to break the knife/gun/whatever arm)

 

I kind of like the end of the movie "Sleeping with the Enemy." Julia Roberts has her psycho ex at gunpoint (still alive) after her broke in her house and attacked her. So she calls 911 and when the operator answers she says something like "I need ambulance, I just shot an intruder." Then she hangs up and the look on the guys face is priceless right before she shoots him.

But to be a bit more serious. I would look after my own safety first. I'll call the police and an ambulance when I am certain that I am not in imminent danger any longer. So if was just me and some other guy and I took him down then ya I'd get him help. But if there were other unkown or potentialy hostile people around, I would leave and call on my cell as im leaving or once I was safe.