3, 2, 1... FIGHT!

[JustADude]

I'd whip out the old nunchucks. Or (since I don't carry them with me), a spear-hand strike to the throat.

Just as another quick aside, collapsing someone's throat for purse-snatching would likely get you convicted of assault if the guy wanted to press charges.

Most places (that I've been, at least) only allow for use of that level of force in a situation where there's a reasonable expectation of immanent and substantial harm to yourself or another should such action not be taken. That means you're pretty damn sure someone is going to wind up in the hospital if you don't drop him in the next three seconds, not 'it's an easy way to stop him from running away with a purse'.

For a near-textbook example of when it is justified, look at Kusinagi vs. Ghetto Superstar, Round 2

[zzapp the witch]

Yeah, my uncle made that pretty clear to me after the Army, JustADude. In most states, if you aren't in fear for your life or the life of a family member, you can't kill em. But if you are, you can.......

And bean, about 3-4 years ago, that coulda been me in that parking lot. Violent ex had taken to following me around, and one day after taking the kids out for ice cream, he attempted to beat me up and take our daughter. (Trying to protect 3 kids by yourself is hard!) She was about a year old, so had no idea, my oldest son, who was 5 at the time, pushed the stroller with her and my other son back inside the store screaming at the top of his lungs, while I fielded blows.

One of my teeny-bopper babysitters and a bunch of her friends had just pulled up in the parking lot and saw what was going on. I had 3 jocks tackling the ex while all the girls were on cellphones.

Cops never caught him, and even though they DID find him at his *home* about 3 hours drive away the next day, didn't do anything. (Even though he couldn't come up with a good excuse for the black eyes and bloody knuckles.......)

I'm just glad this woman had witnesses, whatever the circumstances of the encounter were.

[BaristaTrav]

I hope you were able to get a restraining order at that point.. Or since this was 3/4 years ago, is the guy in jail now? (I hope)

[zzapp the witch]

I'd ask you if you were kidding, but that'd be silly. Nope. This is the guy that got a 14 yr old drunk and raped her, and nothing happened. This is the guy that drank and drove his way through Oregon's ADAPT program TWICE and nothing happened. This is the guy that beat me and emptied my bank account and nothing happened (and I was told by 3 lawyers I had no legal recourse because he had my PIN number). There are more, but I'm keeping this short.

After awhile, you kinda give up and are just glad he found a new punching bag to get pregnant. /shrug. Also doesn't help that his cousin is a cop...... (Or it could be because he's a paid informant, found that out after I finally got rid of him).

That's why I tell girls, if you don't have witnesses, MAKE witnesses. Scream, yell, run, cry....anything.

[edible_hat]

Just as another quick aside, collapsing someone's throat for purse-snatching would likely get you convicted of assault if the guy wanted to press charges.

Yeah, in reality I'd probably get him in an arm-lock and wait for the police to arrive. But throat-punching sounds cooler.

[AdminAssistant]

In the Great American South, we have what are called "Make My Day" laws. Basically, if you come on my property with intent to harm and I don't want you there...it's Dirty Harry time.