This undated still image taken from video shows Markus Kaarma at his home in Missoula, Mont. Kaarma has been charged with deliberate homicide in the shooting death of 17-year-old Diren Dede, an exchange student from Germany. Prosecutors said Kaarma fired his shotgun into his garage after sensors alerted him to an intruder Tuesday, April 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Bill Gorman) (The Associated Press)
HELENA, Mont. – Recent cases in Montana and Minnesota have taken the "stand your ground" debate to a new level.
Markus Kaarma of Missoula, Montana, is accused of setting a trap and blindly shooting into his garage, killing a 17-year-old exchange student.
Byron Smith of Little Falls, Minnesota, was convicted Tuesday of lying in wait in his basement for two teenagers and killing them during a break-in.
Both homeowners say they had been burglarized and said they were afraid of it happening again. Prosecutors say they lured intruders into fatal encounters.
That raises the question: Do laws that allow citizens to protect their property also let them set a trap?
David LaBahn of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys says individuals should be held accountable when they step outside the bounds of society.
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