Defend your property

And go to jail. The landowner in the article is tired of his property being trespassed on, which is relatively reasonable. He approaches three fellows in a vehicle and asks them to stop, their reply is “Go back inside, old man”.

Unfortunately, before he approached the young men in the vehicle, Walter McPherson had drawn his concealed handgun, which according to the landowner he kept down by his side, however the chaps in the vehicle claim he was waving and pointing it at them.

Of course, Mr. McPherson, who will be 71 years old soon, was arrested.

While I disagree with the way he handled himself (should have kept that weapon holstered), I feel as though he was within in rights to act that way. It’s his property, and if he wants to walk around with a gun in his hand you shouldn’t be able to do anything about it. Additionally, I can’t fault him for being concerned about his safety when confronting a car full of belligerent young men.

While John Wayne would have simply kicked the hell out of the trespassers in question and been done with it, I think the best course of action would have been to leave your weapon in the holster, tell the trespasser to kindly “get the fuck off my property” and then call the cops yourself.

Or, you know, you could just watch the rights of property owners circle the drain.

Edit: I’ve written an email to Hamilton County Sheriff’s office to express my concern over their arrest in this situation, their website is here. If you do choose to write them, please I implore you to be courteous, polite and dignified.

I’ve directed a snail mail message to the Prosecutor’s Office as well on behalf of the defendant. Again, if you choose to write, courtesy and logic. Hamilton County Prosecutor’s web page.