Burglar dies after 68-year-old homeowner ties him to tree with ‘multiple layers of masking tape’

[steve2470]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/31/burglar-dies-after-68-year-old-homeowner-ties-him-to-tree-with-multiple-layers-of-masking-tape/

Nathanial Johnson had grown tired of the burglaries at his mobile home in the small town of Leroy, Ala., about 60 miles north of Mobile.

So the 68-year-old decided to take matters into his own hands Friday night by springing a trap, Washington County Sheriff Richard Stringer told Fox affiliate WALA-TV.

In an attempt to make it look like nobody was home, Johnson parked his vehicle at a neighbor’s home and returned to his abode and waited, according to Al.com.

Sitting near his back door, Johnson told police, he turned the lights off and placed a car mirror near a window so he could see what was happening outside, according to WALA.

more at link

[PeteSelman]

1. No charges as of yet.

How can you tape up someone's entire head and not know you're going to suffocate them?

This whole "setting a trap" thing sounds like premeditated murder to me.

[steve2470]

2. the tape and bindings must have been so tight to close his nose and...

constrict his chest, or cut off circulation (?).

[Orrex]

4. I don't get why he taped up the intruder's head

Did the homeowner expect him to chew through the bindings?

[steve2470]

12. yea that's a puzzler

He didn't want the burglar screaming for help ? I dunno.

[wheniwasincongress]

7. Don't people usually get charged

in these cases where the homeowner is lying in wait?

[Ex Lurker]

9. Setting a booby trap is illegal

doubtful that a homeowner minding his own business in his own house would be.

[Eleanors38]

21. Even if not present, a "man trap" is illegal to set (shotgun with trip wire, etc.).

[Nye Bevan]

3. The guy shouldn't have talked about "springing a trap".

He should have just said he was at home, somebody broke in, and he was able to overpower the intruder but was panicking and taped him up a bit too enthusiastically. No grand jury would ever have indicted him.

[Igel]

19. That's what he was doing.

Most of the "booby trap" problems are things like setting up an arrow to shoot at the first person through the door. You're not at home so there's no risk to you, just to your stuff.

But Johnson was at home. The pictures show that his back door lock was broken. Johnson wasn't exactly wealthy--his trailer is really crappy looking from the outside.

The family's response is what most would expect--our side's right and good, their side is wrong and bad. The deceased "never bothers anybody" (apart from robbing their homes, I guess, stealing from the poor) and helps everybody (at least in this family). I have to wonder what the dead guy's family means by "resolve" this?

[The Second Stone]

5. And we know he is burglar and not a guest how?

This sounds like murder.

[WillowTree]

6. Going to the back of a dark house when there was no answer at the front door.......

.......and then breaking the lock on the back door to gain entry isn't indicative of anyone who's ever been invited as a guest to my house. Is that how your guests behave?

[The Second Stone]

11. Per the man who killed him. My point being what is the

confirmation that this isn't a straight up murder by a liar? He may very well be a burglar, but we have the word of an admitted bushwhacker, a man who laid in wait and killed him. There is only the evidence of his word. It needs to be investigated.

[uppityperson]

8. Burglary does not merit a death sentence.

[cigsandcoffee]

10. No, but it's one of the risks of the profession. n/t

[LanternWaste]

18. As it is the risk of any profession. Or any hobby. Or simply eating any meal.

As it is the risk of any profession. Or any hobby. Or simply eating any meal.

So pointing towards the subjective measurement of risk seems irrelevant... at best.

[GaYellowDawg]

20. No it doesn't, and this kind of thing is why

vigilantism should neither be practiced nor encouraged in real life.

[TipTok]

13. Could go either way...

[Shandris]

14. Sounds completely accidental, judging from the lack of details like 'and nose' when describing...

...how he was taped to the tree.

Breaking and entering is a life or death job. Don't take it unless you don't mind not coming home literally any night.

[DrDan]

15. if he used a gun to kill him, some here would praise him . . . as well as most RWers and

all trump supporters

[stevenleser]

16. Sounds like Depraved indifference to me. We'll have to see. nt

[NightWatcher]

17. The "trap" phrase came from the cops. It's not illegal to sit in your home and grab a burglar.

In many states it's perfectly legal to shoot someone who has broken in to your house.