Second Amendment is not an excuse for vigilantes
So you’re sitting at home minding your own business and you hear noises from the place next door, which hasn’t been occupied for months.
You look outside and see two people, an older man and woman, at the front of the place, trying to open the door. What do you do?
Bake your new neighbors a pie? Call the police to report strangers next door?
Jean Kalonji and his wife, Angelica, were held at gunpoint by neighbors outside the home their son had just purchased for them.
If you’re Robert Canoles of Porterville, you apparently take it upon yourself to grab your teenaged son, arm him and yourself with AR-15s, then march next door to confront and hold the terrified couple at gunpoint until sheriff deputies arrive.
Read the story by the AJC’s Christian Boone. Once deputies arrived, the older couple were arrested, charged with loitering and prowling and forced to spend the night in jail. Nobody paid much heed to their explanation that their son had just purchased the empty house and that they were changing the locks at the place they planned to make their new home.
But it turned out they were telling the truth.
As a result, the couple has been freed. Canoles and his son, on the other hand, have been arrested, charged with aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal trespass. They now sit in jail.
“I don’t know what they can charge me with,” Canoles is quoted as saying before the arrest. “This is my Second Amendment right. Look, this is the country out here, and we protect our own.”
The good news is that this time, nobody got injured or killed, which under the circumstances was a definite possibility. But it also illustrates what can happen when loose talk about “Second Amendment rights” becomes translated in certain minds into a license to become vigilantes.
– Jay Bookman
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664 comments Add your comment
Get Real
April 24th, 2012
11:03 pm
1811/0311………I guess we should all roll over on our back with paws up like a dead squirrel on the road
getalife
April 24th, 2012
11:03 pm
“If I Wanted America to Fail”
For three years the gop tried but America is back.
Stay the course.
Get Real
April 24th, 2012
11:06 pm
getalife…get some new glasses cause you don’t see too good…bad grammar for emphasis
RB from Gwinnett
April 24th, 2012
11:07 pm
1811, a few days ago, Jay through the “those who live by the sword die by the sword” line at me. He and those like him don’t seem to be able to grasp the rest of that same line of thinking which is, “those who live by the sword die by the sword, and those without a sword also die by the sword slaves to those who live by the sword”.
What exactly do all these liberals think is the reason all those slaves who were dragged over here from Africa didn’t just say “no” and stay home? It’s not like the slave traders were posting “free carribean cruise” posters around Africa and waiting to see who showed up. People who can’t or won’t defend themselves have always been taken advantage of by those who would do them harm or exploit them. They would know that if they’d read the best history book we have and maybe actually learn something.
getalife
April 24th, 2012
11:11 pm
get,
Yeah, my writing sux.
moonbat betty
April 24th, 2012
11:21 pm
What’s up getalife?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du0wJzA9JfM
Look before I leap...
April 24th, 2012
11:22 pm
@td
I’ll Ignore the 4 grammatical errors in your post and eschew the obvious joke about long-sleeved shirts and ask this question: Exactly how are the activities of the Canoles posse covered by the 2nd Amendment?
td
April 24th, 2012
11:31 pm
Look before I leap…
April 24th, 2012
11:22 pm
I am not saying they are or are not covered by the 2nd Amendment. I was talking about the larger suggestion that I have read on several blogs where bloggers have made the assumption or statement that people do not have the right to carry a gun on a persons property. I have done some research and can not find any place where this assumption is correct (Constitution, Federalist and anti Federalist papers or SCOTUS decision).
They could be correct but I would like to see where they got their information from?
Oscar
April 24th, 2012
11:39 pm
td
April 24th, 2012
11:31 pm
________
There is no such law. If you have a permit to carry a gun you can take it with you. You still may be guilty of trespass but carrying the gun would not add to the crime.
Oscar
April 24th, 2012
11:42 pm
If you don’t have a permit to carry a gun, better stay on your on preoperty or in your car. Otherwise, you would be guilty of carrying a gun without a license.
That Black Guy
April 24th, 2012
11:44 pm
getalife
April 24th, 2012
11:03 pm
“If I Wanted America to Fail”
For three years the gop tried but America is back.
Stay the course.
______________________________________________________________
You are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO predictable.
Not much difference between you and Jm.
Thulsa Doom
April 24th, 2012
11:48 pm
“The biggest unassailable truth in that tragedy is that if Trayvon had been the survivor and Mr. Zimmerman the dead man, Trayvon would have been in jail and charged”
And you can prove that Jay? WHat a ridiculous statement. If that had happened Trayvon could have simply said Zimm followed him, harrassed him, a fight started, and a struggle for the gun then ensued and Trayvon won the fight for the gun and fired in self defense.
getalife
April 24th, 2012
11:53 pm
“Not much difference between you and Jm.”
I try to keep it brief and factual.
jm lies.
We don’t have much in common.
That Black Guy
April 24th, 2012
11:59 pm
getalife
April 24th, 2012
11:53 pm
“Not much difference between you and Jm.”
I try to keep it brief and factual.
jm lies.
We don’t have much in common.
______________________________________________________________________
Brothers from another mother.
Ultimately, you BOTH blame everything on the “OTHER” side.
Division is your middle name.
The country needs to move past BOTH of ya’ll.
Look before I leap...
April 25th, 2012
12:01 am
@td
The 2nd Amendment does not cover where or when you can possess a firearm.
State law however does.
And the stand your ground laws/personal defense provisions are pretty clear about it.
In general, you can carry a weapon legally anywhere you have a legal right to be with some exceptions (schools, churches, government buildings and any private establishment that chooses bar weapons).
The operative phrase in that definition as it applies to the Canoles is “legal right to be”. Once they crossed onto property they did not own without permission of the owners and having no reason to believe that someone was in imminent danger of grievous bodily harm or death, the Canoles were in fact breaking the law. They compounded the problem by brandishing their weapons and detaining the the older couple. They have no 2nd amendment protection and no protection from the GA stand your ground laws.
RW
April 25th, 2012
12:03 am
Wow and 1500 jobs are coming to Newton County?
getalife
April 25th, 2012
12:05 am
“The country needs to move past BOTH of ya’ll.”
It will after the election.
Look before I leap...
April 25th, 2012
12:05 am
“…Trayvon could have simply said Zimm followed him, harrassed him, a fight started, and a struggle for the gun then ensued and Trayvon won the fight for the gun and fired in self defense.”
Them that still breathe get to tell the story.
The interesting thing is, Zimmerman will be acquitted (or the case dismissed) not because of the law or any testimony, it will be simply because there are indeed pictures of some blood on the back of his head.
Oscar
April 25th, 2012
12:07 am
Strickland v. State 137 Ga. 1 1911 Requirement that one obtain a discretionary license from the county ordinary (i.e., probate) before carrying a revolver outside of one’s home or place of business does not violate the state constitutional provision that declares ” The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but the General Assembly shall have power to prescribe the manner in which arms shall be borne.”
Thulsa Doom
April 25th, 2012
12:14 am
Look before I leap,
Had it went down the way I stated I would have no problem just declaring it a tragedy and letting Trayvon go with the blame obviously going to Zimm for instigating what would have ultimatley led to his death.
I also believe Zimm will be acquitted because from what someone on here posted who seemed to be familiar with Fla law if there is only one person left to tell the story then its an awfully high bar for the state to prove that that person is lying. I believe that with the photo evidence of blood all over his head its going to be awfully difficult for the prosecution to prove that he is lying about Trayvon attacking him first.
Nobody really knows what happened but the point is its what the prosecution can prove. And it looks like its going to be really hard for them to prove murder 2.All in all just a terrible tragedy and a damn shame that the kid died.
That Black Guy
April 25th, 2012
12:16 am
getalife
April 25th, 2012
12:05 am
“The country needs to move past BOTH of ya’ll.”
It will after the election.
__________________________________________________________________
Good night, divider.
Remember, YOUR side is COMPLETELY blameless for the problems in this country.
It’s ALL the “cons” fault.
getalife
April 25th, 2012
12:27 am
I am a proud Independent supporting our President.
Good night.
ken
April 25th, 2012
12:43 am
How about an OJ jury for everybody on trial !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeShaun Sanders
April 25th, 2012
1:16 am
@ Jay
re: 9:44
“The biggest unassailable truth in that tragedy is that if Trayvon had been the survivor and Mr. Zimmerman the dead man, Trayvon would have been in jail and charged.”
I think you’re probably right there, Jay. But keep in mind that there were OTHER elements that factored into the police’s decision instead of just race. A lot of people want to believe that the police just showed up, took one look, and said “Somebody just shot a Black guy…let him go.” And that’s not the case.
If you switch every single factor in the incident…except the race of both participants…I think the police would have let Trayvon go under the same circumstances.
That would mean that Trayvon Martin would have been a Black male in his late 20’s who lived in the area, and was known to the police as a member of the Community Watch because he called in all the damn time. He would have been on patrol (with a legal firearm), and would have noticed a young Hispanic male because there had been several break-ins lately that were attributed to groups of young Hispanic males. Zimmerman would have been a 17-year-old Hispanic young man new to the area, and Trayvon would have noticed and pursued him. There would have been a confrontation, and Trayvon shoots Zimmerman. The police get there, Trayvon Martin has dirt and grass stains on the back of his shirt, and his head is bloody. Trayvon tells his story (the same exact story that Zimmerman told in real life), the police notice the wounds, and talk with a witness who confirms Trayvon’s story that he was on the bottom and being beaten by Zimmerman. And because of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, they decide to let Trayvon go (after they’ve taken him in and gotten some “official” statements). He lives in the area, after all, and they can continue to investigate and pick him up if they need to.
I think the decision of the police…especially since one investigator suggested that Zimmerman be charged with manslaughter or reckless endangerment…was an incorrect one. But I don’t think it was based on the race of the two individuals. And I believe that…if every single factor were switched around except the race of the two individuals…the police would have acted the same (making the same mistakes in not making an arrest) in favor of the Black guy.
bluecoat
April 25th, 2012
1:46 am
It’s simple if Zim is a pug or votes R then don’t believe a word he says.If he’s dem.or votes dem.he’s telling the truth.Other than satan,these republicans are the most deceptive,masters of deception.The Canoles used bad judgement.Hope they will not be stuck with felon label rest of life.
USinUK
April 25th, 2012
6:14 am
all you numpties who REEEEEEEAAALLY think that cutting government spending is a good idea … read and learn:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0e25582a-8eb0-11e1-aa12-00144feab49a.html#axzz1t2taW7qd
Don't Forget
April 25th, 2012
6:28 am
USinUK – link not quite working right but I saw that UK is in double dip for first time since 1970’s. Austerity not doing so well in the rest of Europe either. Not a good idea during a recession. Bottom line though is that stimulus, although the right thing to do, is no miracle cure. If you let fraud and abuse crash your markets it’s gonna take quite a few years to recover. I just can’t believe the R’s nominated a Wall Street guy. I think Romney could be a disaster.
USinUK
April 25th, 2012
6:31 am
Don’t Forget – yeppers … that’s exactly my point … UK is in double-dip
Don't Forget
April 25th, 2012
6:40 am
USinUK – yup, it’s a simple formula really, get the economy going ideally with infrastructure spending then the deficit starts to drop naturally as more go back to work and then you can cut more spending where appropriate which will keep the growth from being a bubble and the financial picture becomes stronger. But just like the old adage for the stock market, “buy low, sell high” everybody knows it but nobody does it.
Skip
April 25th, 2012
6:45 am
The kid was fighting for his life, he lost.Because he got a couple swings in before being killed doesn’t change anything.
JamVet
April 25th, 2012
6:50 am
Any chance we could get you liberals to wear a shirt/pin/hat/bandanna or something to identify yourselves so the rest of us know whether or not to bother coming to your rescue if you’re ever attacked, held up, robbed, anything?
Would a sewn on Star of David work alright for you, RB?
Hell you could even break into out businesses and stores and breakh everything…
JamVet
April 25th, 2012
6:55 am
For all you grads from the Rick Perry School of Climatology.
http://blogs.ajc.com/mike-luckovich/?cxntlid=sldr_hm
stevie ray...Clowns to the Left and Jokers to the Right..here I am...
April 25th, 2012
7:01 am
Can anyone tell me what happened to all those “shovel ready” jobs? Have we started to employ folks to work on infrastructure in meaningful way?
USinUK
April 25th, 2012
7:02 am
“But just like the old adage for the stock market, “buy low, sell high” everybody knows it but nobody does it.”
ain’t THAT the truth (yes, I’m looking at you, 1999 internet stock)
USinUK
April 25th, 2012
7:04 am
“Can anyone tell me what happened to all those “shovel ready” jobs?”
they were done.
don’t believe me? take a spin around the Marietta loop – the exit for Roswell Road was completed due to the stimulus plan
stevie ray...Clowns to the Left and Jokers to the Right..here I am...
April 25th, 2012
7:04 am
DONT FORGET,
Appreciate your comments but I don’t see Romney being any more or less a disaster as the spineless wonder…if his “signature” legistation gets zapped by SC, his legacy will be one of whining and poor leadership…liberals will argue the GOP sabotaged him but history will suggests a lack of leadership to bust through this despite promises…
Joel Edge
April 25th, 2012
7:04 am
No good deed goes unpunished. The next time you think your neighbor’s house is being broken into, take your AR-15 or shotgun and sit on the porch and enjoy the show. Someone being beaten in the street in front of your house? Same thing. Screams from the senior citizen across the street, turn the volume on your iPod up. If anybody asks why you didn’t help; tell them you read Jay Bookman and didn’t want to be a vigilante.
USinUK
April 25th, 2012
7:08 am
“Someone being beaten in the street in front of your house? Same thing”
so, according to you, people opening the door of an empty house = physical assault on a person
hyperbolate much???
USinUK
April 25th, 2012
7:09 am
funniest thing I’ve seen today:
Mittens and Duck Phillips … separated at birth …
stands for decibels
April 25th, 2012
7:14 am
Stevie, if you’re asking about the recovery act dollars, there’s a site for that:
http://www.recovery.gov/Transparency/RecipientReportedData/Pages/RecipientReportedDataMap.aspx
as for more federally funded infrastructure above and beyond the recovery act, go talk to the a-holes in Congrefs who think there’s something evil about spending money to put Americans to work. Ask them why their psychopaths. I imagine they’ll blame Mommy, or something, if you ply them with a bit o’ booze.
stands for decibels
April 25th, 2012
7:15 am
don’t believe me? take a spin around the Marietta loop – the exit for Roswell Road was completed due to the stimulus plan
yep. I know that stretch. So was a stretch of badly banged-up blacktop that figures into part of my commute, most days.
stands for decibels
April 25th, 2012
7:16 am
their, they’re, there… oy. must crawl to coffee source.
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
April 25th, 2012
7:19 am
“Second Amendment is not an excuse for vigilantes”
Well, it most certainly is.
So is not enough raisins in ones raisin bran, shoes that pinch,
bad hair days and puppies.
Sick violent SOB’s never need no stinkin’ excuses.
They like it.
Don't Forget
April 25th, 2012
7:23 am
Stevie Ray – I just think he was too nice, too naive. He thought Wall Street would work with him if he didn’t aggressively prosecute. Big mistake! They’ve treated him like a pushover. Those guys on Wall Street are good, they’re smart but they also have egos as big as all outdoors. A smackdown was called for until those greedy bashards cried mercy and started investing in the dang economy. Instead they’re sitting on the sideline hoping they can get another puppet in the WH.
stands for decibels
April 25th, 2012
7:23 am
sh-tty economix SHEETZ
ken
April 25th, 2012
7:28 am
What 9 to 5 job did Obama have that helped him pay off his student loans ?
Granny Godzilla - Union Thugette
April 25th, 2012
7:34 am
ken
you only work 9 to 5?
don’t you listen to Boortz?
that’s evil.
bookman parrot
April 25th, 2012
8:05 am
Jay,
A situation that could have been handled much more smoothly, for sure. My empathy to the gentleman and wife that were caught up in this mess. The explanation given should have warranted some consideration for sure, but in today’s rampant crime, many people are more on edge and sick of crime and criminals and may assume incorrectly. Ofcourse the situation could easily have been two thieves robbing, but this time it was not. A tricky yet turns out scary situation for the two folks there legitimately. This “journalism” by you is just an irresponsible stretch by you (Jay) to fit your dislike of 2nd Amendment, definitely. Let’s use the lib game and give an infrequent scenario. Person A is attacking with a knife Person B, who has no weapon. Person C nearby has a weapon and can a) do nothing b) call the police and wait 15 minutes or more for response giving Person A 15 minutes to finish attack on Person B or c) intervene. In Jayworld, he selects “b” and the police come and pickup the pieces and write a report.
LoganvilleGuy
April 25th, 2012
8:25 am
GM says: ” just once I would like to hear about a white kid get shot the way Martin was killed”
Well here is your wish:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/crime/taco-bell-shooting-victim-was-holding-leash-not-weapon-4-4-2012
29 year old mentally disabled white male holding a dog leash attached to a labrador retriever shot by a 22 year old black man. The black man claimed self-defense and was not arrested.
Unlike Zimmerman/Martin, there appear to be lots of actual witnesses to the encounter that say the white male was unarmed. He was walking his dog.
So…. kind of blows the whole “if the races were reversed” argument out of the water…
That Black Guy on Android
April 25th, 2012
8:29 am
getalife April 25th, 2012 12:27 am
Link Report this comment
I am a proud Independent supporting our President.
Good night.
______________________________________________________________
getalife, you are independent.
Independent of rational thought and logic.
Divider
barking frog
April 25th, 2012
8:31 am
Criminals don’t have keys.
Bernie
April 25th, 2012
8:42 am
Karma……:)
LoganvilleGuy
April 25th, 2012
8:43 am
I hope that Jay and others will have the courage to answer this truthfully:
Again, this is related to this news story: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/crime/taco-bell-shooting-victim-was-holding-leash-not-weapon-4-4-2012
A white male with the mental capacity of a 12 year old boy was shot while walking his dog. The shooter was a 22 year old adult black male. The shooter claimed self-defense and was not arrested. The shooter *claimed* that the victim swung a pipe at him. Not only was there never any indication that he was actually hit with the pipe… no pipe was located at the scene. Police have concluded that the victim was NOT even holding a pipe according to subsequent news stories.
Why have we not seen calls for justice from the main stream media? Why is this not national news? Why are there not protests and rallies for justice for this victim? Why are there not editorials in major city newspapers talking about this?
williebkind
April 25th, 2012
8:56 am
vigilantee – Someone who punishes perceived lawbreakers themself rather relying on the authorities.
Ok lets do away with the first ammendment if you are going to use it to incarcerate people by telling lies!
Jay is a liberal therefore he must lie! Or he is ignorant and misuses the definition of words to incite the base and the judicial system to incarcerate citizens. Those two remaining in jail for two days is a travesty against justice.
killerj
April 25th, 2012
8:56 am
?
Dr. Pangloss
April 25th, 2012
8:59 am
How about a 10-year moratorium on even mentioning the Second Amendment?
I am heartily sick of the people who think that one vague, poorly constructed sentence from 200 years ago justifies doing anything and everything with a gun.
Bernie
April 25th, 2012
9:02 am
These two YAHOO’s got what they deserved and the charging officers should be fired as well. This all could have been resolved very easily if cooler heads had prevailed from the 2 armed ones and the charging officers. Neither party cared and acted purely on perception and refused to accept the possibility that this couple was being truthful. The armed duo and whatever arresting law enforcement parties should pay this couple dearly for this easily avoidable screw up. Law enforcement failed to do its job as expected. they and the armed duo should pay this couple for both of their actions.
Geez..
April 25th, 2012
9:24 am
I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy…
williebkind
April 25th, 2012
10:04 am
Dr. Pangloss
April 25th, 2012
8:59 am
I am so glad you are educated above your intelligence. It is a common curse of the liberal. But what is sad is that you think the right to bear arms is ” one vague, poorly constructed sentence from 200 years ago justifies doing anything and everything with a gun”.
williebkind
April 25th, 2012
10:06 am
Bernie
April 25th, 2012
9:02 am
I hope you live in a castle! There you may live happily ever after.
Furious Styles
April 25th, 2012
2:58 pm
Yeah this one could have ended really bad. I think the fact that they are an older couple saved their lives. If the husband was a younger gent he might have challenged the father and son more than they were comfortable with and they would have shot the couple.
its going to be weirdly awkward being neighbors for both of them, that is if the Konji’s decide to stay.
Jim
April 25th, 2012
11:36 pm
That’s the only trouble or flaw I see in the first Amendment. It lets idiots have free speech.There ought to be a better way to screen speakers.
kimmer
April 26th, 2012
11:44 am
Again, the real ourtrage here should be with the Newton county sherrif’s office. It is more than obvious what happened here. These two ‘vigilante’s’ acted in good faith, albeit in poor judgement, to thwart what they perceived was a burglary in process. They got involved to help when they did not have to which fewer and fewer people are willing to do nowadays. Unlike the Cajones the NCS had ample time to get to the real story but screwed up royally with lazy police work. Instead of clearing things up at the scene that would have likely resulted in apologies made and no harm done they exacerbate things 10X by wrongly jailing innocent people. Once their screw-up was revealed, stinging with embarrassment and public outrage of their own making the same NCS attempt to deflect the criticism by throwing the book at the hapless but well meaning would be good Samaritans.
My question is this, they charged these guys with assault and false imprisonment for mistakenly thinking those folks were burglars but DID THE SAME THING THEMSELVES and actually locked them up!. So why wasn’t the sherrif’s deputies charged with the same crimes? Are they above the law?
Baldr Odinson
April 26th, 2012
1:20 pm
Wow, thank goodness the neighbor didn’t “exercise his rights”! He doesn’t seem to realize how close he came to murder. And good for him the new couple weren’t just as fervent about their “rights” and a shootout didn’t occur!
That’s the problem with vigilante justice, isn’t it? The average citizen isn’t trained to be a policeman, to know the law, to have experience in a conflict situation, or to think clearly under fire. We can’t have people just jump to action without thinking, or by simply following their hunches (as Zimmerman did and this guy and his son did). What a poor example this man was for his son!
My blog post on the dangers of vigilante justice: http://newtrajectory.blogspot.com/2012/03/dangers-of-vigilante-justice.html