Johns Hopkins student kills apparent burglar with a samurai sword

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http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/15/samurai.sword.killing/index.html

CNN) -- A Johns Hopkins University student killed an apparent burglar with a samurai sword after discovering the man in his garage, police said Tuesday.

Baltimore, Maryland, police received a phone call shortly before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday about a suspicious person, and an off-duty officer arrived at the scene with campus security, city police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

When authorities arrived, they heard calls for help and for police, he said. They discovered a suspected burglar with a severed left hand and severe lacerations to his upper body, Guglielmi said.

The suspect died at the scene, he said.

The man had entered a home where several Johns Hopkins students lived, Guglielmi said. Four students, one armed with a samurai sword, had confronted the suspect in the garage.

The man "lunged" at the students, and the student with the sword defended himself, severing the man's left hand and cutting his upper body, Guglielmi said.

Police did not release the name of the suspect, who Guglielmi said had a long criminal history, or that of the student.

Police questioned the three witnesses, Guglielmi said, and released them. It was not immediately clear whether all four students lived at the house, he said.

Authorities are determining whether the student will face criminal charges, Guglielmi said.

Burglars had taken two laptops and a Sony PlayStation from the students' home Monday, Guglielmi said.

The burglary suspect had been released from prison Saturday, Guglielmi said.
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That's different. I guess you don't fuck with a Johns Hopkins student with a samurai sword, eh?

Never been a gun guy myself. I don't have a sword yet, but I do have a dagger. Hope I never have to use it.

I'm going to watch Samurai Champloo and Afro Samurai now. Later.
 
[quote name='GuilewasNK']http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/15/samurai.sword.killing/index.htmlNever been a gun guy myself. I don't have a sword yet, but I do have a dagger. Hope I never have to use it.
[/QUOTE]

With your reach, you don't need a sword.


Everybody knows this student is probably going to prison unless the attacker was heavily tweaked on drugs.

I could see a slash taking off a hand, but one sword stroke doesn't create several lacerations.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']Maybe he lunged multiple times.[/QUOTE]

"He fell into my ice pick ... 37 times.'

Yeah, the wannabe sammy better hope the burglar was on PCP.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']With your reach, you don't need a sword.


Everybody knows this student is probably going to prison unless the attacker was heavily tweaked on drugs.

I could see a slash taking off a hand, but one sword stroke doesn't create several lacerations.[/QUOTE]

I was thinking the same thing. If the sword was used for self-defense, there wouldn't have been nothing more than a severed hand, not multiple lacerations. Unless this guy was a freaking beast. Maybe a picture would help.
 
I dunno about jail time, just because self defence and breaking and entering are pretty good reasons for a anime style slaying. A competend lawyer will get him off with at most some community service, specially since the guy has robbed before and they have witnesses that prove the robber provoked an attack.

Just remember, swords dont kill people, anime fans that think a 50 hit combo is the only way to end confrontation, kill people.
 
[quote name='Access_Denied']I was thinking the same thing. If the sword was used for self-defense, there wouldn't have been nothing more than a severed hand, not multiple lacerations. Unless this guy was a freaking beast. Maybe a picture would help.[/QUOTE]


I don't know about that. I'd imagine the lacerations may have occurred trying to get the burglar to back off, and the severed hand was the final blow. If drugs were involved, anything is possible.

All I know is the guy wouldn't have died if he hadn't tried to rob someone three days after being released for the same offense. As the facts stand now, I can't fault the homeowner who probably never found himself in a situation like that before. That may change later, but who knows? Hindsight is always 20/20.
 
[quote name='javeryh']How fucking sharp was that blade to take off a hand bone and all?[/QUOTE]

Back in the old days, there were samurai swords that could cut through five bodies in a single stroke.

A sword worth a few grand could be high enough quality to cut through the forearm.
 
[quote name='javeryh']How fucking sharp was that blade to take off a hand bone and all?[/QUOTE]

[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']Back in the old days, there were samurai swords that could cut through five bodies in a single stroke.

A sword worth a few grand could be high enough quality to cut through the forearm.[/QUOTE]

Not to mention the wrist is a fairly small joint with small bones and lots of space/cartilage between those wristbones for flexiblity. It wouldn't take much to cut through it if hit in the right spot.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']Back in the old days, there were samurai swords that could cut through five bodies in a single stroke.

A sword worth a few grand could be high enough quality to cut through the forearm.[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure I buy the myths and legends about Japanese swords, but I've seen them wielded by a trained user slice through a representations of a thigh and femur without any real resistance. A wrist doesn't really stretch the imagination.
 
Am I the only one confused?

"student killed an apparent burglar"
"The suspect died at the scene, he said."
"The burglary suspect had been released from prison Saturday"

Is this bad reporting, or did they hold the dead burglar in jail for four days?
 
No. The guy who was killed was released from jail on Saturday, three days before his death. In other words, he was a criminal and resumed his criminal activities immediately after getting out of jail.
 
[quote name='darthbudge']No. The guy who was killed was released from jail on Saturday, three days before his death. In other words, he was a criminal and resumed his criminal activities immediately after getting out of jail.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for clearing that up
 
I hope that right after the student hit the guy, the would-be robber stood there in stunned silence for a moment before his hand slid off ala Samurai Shodown.

VICTOLY!
 
If you rob enough different people, eventually you will come across the crazy college anime nerd with a samurai sword. Shit happens, don't break into someone's home.
 
I bet it was a Hattori Hanzo sword.

hattori_hanzo_kill_bill_sw-320e-2.jpg


I have one on display (not a Hanzo, of course) but it's not made from tempered steel. My dad has one that is and those can do some serious damage if wielded properly.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']With your reach, you don't need a sword.


Everybody knows this student is probably going to prison unless the attacker was heavily tweaked on drugs.

I could see a slash taking off a hand, but one sword stroke doesn't create several lacerations.[/QUOTE]


not to mention there were like 4 of them right? they will say they could have used non lethal force considering the numbers were in their favor unless he guy with the sword was the only one who was up at the time or if the burgalur had a weapon too then it may be ok to have used the sword. i dont feel bad for the burgalur but i do wonder if the students didnt go overboard but then again if he hadnt broken into their home hed still be alive. the guy with the sword at the minimum should get some kind of probation. sucks but in this day and age alot fo times criminals get more rights than victims.


there was this story a while back in tennessee where these 2 guys and a chick were stealing things from a guys trailer so the guy goes out and shoots at them to scare them off he ends up shooting into the truck hitting the woman and killing her and then to find out she was pregnant and wouuldnt you knw it people were mad at him for killing a pregnant woman. nevermind she was with criminals stealing shit that didnt belong to them but because they guy who they were stealing from had priors he went to jail i believe.
 
[quote name='juvo']Am I the only one confused?

"student killed an apparent burglar"
"The suspect died at the scene, he said."
"The burglary suspect had been released from prison Saturday"

Is this bad reporting, or did they hold the dead burglar in jail for four days?[/QUOTE]
...
 
[quote name='javeryh']How fucking sharp was that blade to take off a hand bone and all?[/QUOTE]

Someone hasn't been watching Deadliest Warrior, Sports Science (or was it Naked Science... ?), or Mythbusters...
 
[quote name='lokizz']not to mention there were like 4 of them right? they will say they could have used non lethal force considering the numbers were in their favor unless he guy with the sword was the only one who was up at the time or if the burgalur had a weapon too then it may be ok to have used the sword. i dont feel bad for the burgalur but i do wonder if the students didnt go overboard but then again if he hadnt broken into their home hed still be alive. the guy with the sword at the minimum should get some kind of probation. sucks but in this day and age alot fo times criminals get more rights than victims.


there was this story a while back in tennessee where these 2 guys and a chick were stealing things from a guys trailer so the guy goes out and shoots at them to scare them off he ends up shooting into the truck hitting the woman and killing her and then to find out she was pregnant and wouuldnt you knw it people were mad at him for killing a pregnant woman. nevermind she was with criminals stealing shit that didnt belong to them but because they guy who they were stealing from had priors he went to jail i believe.[/QUOTE]

Isn't there a RICO statute in TN? Then, the man killing the unborn child could claim the unborn child was part of the crime.
 
There's no way I'd be able to stop after I got one slice in on a robber with a sword either, whether its right or wrong. If I ever had to kill a robber this is how I'd want to do it. Badass story.
 
What an awesome story. I really do hope the student doesn't have to serve jailtime because of it. As far as I'm concerned, he did society a favor by taking out a repeat burglary offender.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']Someone hasn't been watching Deadliest Warrior, Sports Science (or was it Naked Science... ?), or Mythbusters...[/QUOTE]

Exactly! A good sword can do some massive damage! The kid should not serve anytime he defended his home from a robber nuff said.
 
[quote name='NDarkness']The student does not deserve any jail time, fines, or community service. The burglar was scum.[/QUOTE]

If the burglar was dismembered and curled into a ball on the floor, would it be OK for the student to continue slashing and stabbing the burglar?
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']If the burglar was dismembered and curled into a ball on the floor, would it be OK for the student to continue slashing and stabbing the burglar?[/QUOTE]

Legally speaking probably not. Logically speaking, the person is already dead.
 
[quote name='GuilewasNK']Legally speaking probably not. Logically speaking, the person is already dead.[/QUOTE]

From a severed hand? Maybe.

From a severed hand while in the presence of at least one person attending the best medical school in the country? No.
 
[quote name='Monsta Mack']Just got out of prison a few days prior to robbing?
Well I guess he got what he deserved.[/QUOTE]

Eh he definitely didn't deserve to die but you have to expect people to defend themselves and there are real consequences, either legally or otherwise. The whole thing is unfortunate.

[quote name='evildeadjedi']Exactly! A good sword can do some massive damage! The kid should not serve anytime he defended his home from a robber nuff said.[/QUOTE]

Massive damage you say?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g1fr5vk72M

Ohh it's still funny.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']If the burglar was dismembered and curled into a ball on the floor, would it be OK for the student to continue slashing and stabbing the burglar?[/QUOTE]

While maybe it's not alright to be THAT excessive, I don't see a problem with killing somebody off whose robbing you. The fact is, if you're going to break into somebody's home and take their stuff, you deserve whatever you get. If that's a bullet to the head, or in this case, a samurai sword to the wrist, so be it.

Don't want to be killed? Here's a suggestion: Instead of breaking into somebody's home and taking their shit, get a fucking job and buy your own. There's a lot of things I'd like to own. I'd love a 60" plasma and some more games, but I'm not so ignorant as to think I'm entitled to break into a house that isn't mine and take the things that others bought with their own money.

IMHO, good riddance to this trash. He's now where all people like him belong.
 
This should go into General Gaming forum, one of the articles said that someone had already burgled the house earlier that day and a PS3 was stolen.

Houses on that street get broken into quite often actually. When I was going there my buddies' house a block further east was broken into while they were sleeping. The burglar made off with tons of dvds, video games and a PS2 (this was a while ago).

Though none of the students in the house would have been med students (they were all undergrads and the med campus is downtown) there actually is a hospital right across the street (not affiliated with JHU).

The deceased just got out of jail 8 months early from an 18 month sentence for auto theft. It appears he would have been safer in jail.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']If the burglar was dismembered and curled into a ball on the floor, would it be OK for the student to continue slashing and stabbing the burglar?[/QUOTE]
Not just an alleged burglar, but an alleged assailant.

An old wise criminal defense attorney gave me some surprising advice once regarding the use of lethal force in self-defense, especially considering his extreme liberal leanings.

He said, "If you ever fear for your life and react with deadly force in an act self-preservation make sure you kill your assailant."
 
[quote name='h3llbring3r']

An old wise criminal defense attorney gave me some surprising advice once regarding the use of lethal force in self-defense, especially considering his extreme liberal leanings.

He said, "If you ever fear for your life and react with deadly force in an act self-preservation make sure you kill your assailant."[/QUOTE]

I had a retired police officer give me the same advice. His reasoning was a dead criminal was unable to sue for medical damage or press charges against you. If you were really unlucky the criminal's family might sue you for wrongful death, but he said in all reality this was a rare occurance, because most of the time the dead criminal was usually such a dickwad that even their own family wouldn't want to get involved afterwards.

He also proceeded to tell me one of the most outrageous cases he had participated in. He answered a call for a burglary. The homeowner had found a robber in his home, threatening his family. Homeowner pulled a gun and aimed for the man's leg, shooting to incapacitate him rather than kill. The bullet ended up hitting the man in the hip instead. When all was said and done, the robber sued the homeowner for medical damages, mental stress from excessive use of force, plus future payments for fertility treatments because he could no longer function to produce children normally. And he won in court! Now, none of this would have come about if the homeowner had just straight out killed the guy.
 
[quote name='joshythegreat18']While maybe it's not alright to be THAT excessive, I don't see a problem with killing somebody off whose robbing you. The fact is, if you're going to break into somebody's home and take their stuff, you deserve whatever you get. If that's a bullet to the head, or in this case, a samurai sword to the wrist, so be it.

Don't want to be killed? Here's a suggestion: Instead of breaking into somebody's home and taking their shit, get a fucking job and buy your own. There's a lot of things I'd like to own. I'd love a 60" plasma and some more games, but I'm not so ignorant as to think I'm entitled to break into a house that isn't mine and take the things that others bought with their own money.

IMHO, good riddance to this trash. He's now where all people like him belong.[/QUOTE]

I agree with you, but cops and the Prison Industry don't agree with us.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']If the burglar was dismembered and curled into a ball on the floor, would it be OK for the student to continue slashing and stabbing the burglar?[/QUOTE]

I think you give up those rights when you've broken into someone's home. I mean, don't get me me wrong. I get what you're saying. But it's a very hard point to prove when the only other witnesses were people who were probably also fearful that you were robbing them.

Besides, who's to say that the burglar wouldn't have killed any one of them if he had to in order to get away with the goods? I just can't feel much sympathy for someone when things go bad while they're breaking the law and endangering others.
 
A wounded animal is often more dangerous than one that's not.

I'm not saying that all criminals are animals, but think about it, if you were just paroled- in a 2 or 3 strikes state and the homeowner thought you were subdued/incapacitated; leaving you at the scene to call the cops after you know he/she got a good look your face (not to mention your bloody DNA everywhere). What would you do, as a criminal, to that homeowner if you could manage to recover your wits enough to manage a second go at him or her. Would you just flee the scene and hope all is forgotten?

Also, no retreat states are where it's at.
 
[quote name='joshythegreat18']The fact is, if you're going to break into somebody's home and take their stuff, you deserve whatever you get. If that's a bullet to the head, or in this case, a samurai sword to the wrist, so be it.[/QUOTE]

I kinda agree. Nobody has any business entering a stranger's home in the early morning hours. Or any time of day. You'd either have to be literally retarded and not know any better, or up to no good and willing to harm the occupants.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']I kinda agree. Nobody has any business entering a stranger's home in the early morning hours. Or any time of day. You'd either have to be literally retarded and not know any better, or up to no good and willing to harm the occupants.[/QUOTE]

Or a hero of time with elfin features wielding the master sword and randomly breaking any vases within the home. Or a band of Light Warriors bent on saving the world, one NPC at a time. Or the son of a great warrior named Ortega whose real name is lost in the mists of time only to be elevated to legendary status and given the name Erdrick.
 
I can't believe I'm playing this side of the argument.

Let's pretend the burglar was obviously deranged such smashing his face into a wall, slobbering and screaming gibberish.

Ginsu or take pity?
 
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