A Tale Of Two Victims — One American And One British

23 Mar, 2004 by John Hawkins

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I thought it might be instructive to compare how we in America treat people who protect their homes compared to how the Brits protect burglars who rob people’s homes.

Here’s story #1 from “happy burglar land,” also known as Britain…

“A man who stabbed to death an armed intruder at his home was jailed for eight years today.

Carl Lindsay, 25, answered a knock at his door in Salford, Greater Manchester, to find four men armed with a gun.

When the gang tried to rob him he grabbed a samurai sword and stabbed one of them, 37-year-old Stephen Swindells, four times.

Mr Swindells, of Salford, was later found collapsed in an alley and died in hospital.

Lindsay, of Walkden, was found guilty of manslaughter following a three-week trial at Manchester Crown Court.

He was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.”

Yes, you’re reading that right. A man defending his life & his home with a sword from 4 burglars armed with a gun was sent to jail. As hard as that is to believe, it’s really not a parody. I promise.

On the other hand, here’s how we handled a similar situation in America…

“Springfield police said a woman who shot and killed an intruder will not face any charges. However, they said the dead man’s accomplice will be charged with his death.

The shooting happened around 3 a.m. Sunday morning inside a home in the 300 block of Chestnut Avenue. Police believe James Tanksley, 20, and Matthew Marino, 21, broke into the woman’s house and attempted to burglarize it. Marino was shot and killed by the homeowner during the breakin.

…Investigators said Tanksley was charged in connection with the death because the shooting occurred during the commission of a felony.”

Isn’t that a better solution? The real victim, the homeowner, goes free while one criminal dies and the other crook takes the rap for his partner’s death. It works for me.

Too bad it doesn’t work that way in Britain where Carl Lindsay, an innocent victim, is going to jail for defending his life & home from a group of thugs. The Brits should be praising Lindsay, not sending him to the slammer…