• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Since when is trespassing a capital offense

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
Since when is simple trespassing a capital offense, justifying deadly force by simply crossing a "boundary"?

There are several government facilities with signs of "No Trespassing", and some even say that deadly force is authorized beyond a "point".

Then these vehicle suddenly show up if one gets "too close" to the boundary.
 

Attachments

  • nocamo2.jpg
    nocamo2.jpg
    21.2 KB · Views: 522

Dreamer

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Messages
5,360
Location
Grennsboro NC
Groom Lake Air Force Base in NV has had that policy for nearly 50 years...

No fence, no physical barriers, just occasional signs in the desert, and little orange posts stuck in the sand every 30 feet or so...
 

Attachments

  • MVC-288F.jpg
    MVC-288F.jpg
    36.6 KB · Views: 3,650
Last edited:

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
How in the world in this even legal? Getting shot for crossing an imaginary line? What is the world coming to? Why don't they have a secured fence with a guard post set up there?
 

JoeSparky

Centurion
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
3,621
Location
Pleasant Grove, Utah, USA
Groom Lake Air Force Base in NV has had that policy for nearly 50 years...

No fence, no physical barriers, just occasional signs in the desert, and little orange posts stuck in the sand every 30 feet or so...

Not to be contentious here but..... "little orange posts stuck in the sand every 30 feet or so" seems to be ADEQUATE WARNING provided one is NOT BLIND OR ILLITERATE!

Edited to add.... at many airports that are both civilian and military you will fine a wide red painted line where if one crosses into the military portion you will most likely be met BY ARMED MILITARY PERSONS WITH M16s POINTED AT YOU.
I've never had this happen to me but I've heard from those on BOTH sides of the M16 when it has happened.
 
Last edited:

Jack House

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,611
Location
I80, USA
I'm not really sure what the issue is here. That you can't trespass onto top secret military property? I mean, are they supposed to let you have free run of the place? What do you think would happen if you snuck into the secure portion of a police station or jail and got caught?
 

ChiangShih

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2009
Messages
628
Location
KC
Most of us live in states where we can use lethal force if someone illegally enters our homes, they can use lethal force if someone illegally goes on their base. I think that is a fair balance of power.



Troll disclaimer: Yes I'm aware I've over simplified the issue and compared two different empowering laws for the use of lethal force.
 
Last edited:

Tomas

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Messages
702
Location
University Place, Washington, USA
I'll give my answer by telling a little story...

When I was in the USAF Strategic Air Command, portions of our bases were even more secure than others, and were designated "No Lone Zones."

In those areas a single individual was considered a security threat, would be challenged, and if they did not immediately stop, WOULD be fired on.

While I was stationed at Carswell AFB, TX my squadron commander (a B52F pilot) was returning to the alert shack after a practice alert and realized he had left his flight bag, with his codes, on the aircraft.

When he dropped his crew off at the shack, outside the Alert Area, instead of parking the truck, Colonel Hooker turned it around and headed back to that nuclear loaded alert aircraft to recover his bag and codes.

He single mindedly wanted to get those codes back in his control.

He buzzed right by the rookie A2C guard at the gate to the Alert Area, and didn't even hear the challenge yelled at him.

That young guard put three .30 cal rounds through the back of the USAF crew-cab Dodge, blowing seat stuffing all over the cab, putting holes in the dash, and getting Col. Hooker's undivided attention.

Hooker stopped the truck and sat there as the guard ran toward the truck while on his radio 'sounding the alarm.'

Almost instantly Air Police trucks had Hooker surrounded and on the ground in the rain, and he rode in the bed of an AP pickup, with two guards covering him, to the base lockup.

Had my Colonel not stopped his truck, that guard would have definitely stopped my Colonel.

Two weeks later Hooker was out of the USAF and the guard was promoted and honored.

Yes, there are areas where it really is shoot first, no questions.

(That was 1968.)
 

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
I'm not really sure what the issue is here. That you can't trespass onto top secret military property? I mean, are they supposed to let you have free run of the place? What do you think would happen if you snuck into the secure portion of a police station or jail and got caught?

You should get arrested and charged with trespassing, unless they can prove you had other intentions of being there. Being shot on sight? Come on. That's ridiculous. What happens if some guys are out riding a dirt bike in the desert and fail to see the signs, and happened to speed through the little orange posts? Are their cowboy security going to start firing down on them?
 

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
Most of us live in states where we can use lethal force if someone illegally enters our homes, they can use lethal force if someone illegally goes on their base. I think that is a fair balance of power.



Troll disclaimer: Yes I'm aware I've over simplified the issue and compared two different empowering laws for the use of lethal force.

Enters the inside of your home, yes, but here in Washington, I do not believe it's justifiable to use deadly force if someone entered your driveway, even if you have No Trespassing signs. You can use whatever force is appropriate and deemed necessary to remove them. You can't just shoot them if they walk on your driveway or patio.

"Military Property

Federal law also criminalizes trespassing on military or Coast Guard property. According to 18 U.S.C. 1382, anyone who trespasses on military property within the jurisdiction of the United States can be charged with criminal trespass and may face fines and incarceration for up to six months. Further, anyone who is removed from such property and ordered not to return, and who subsequently does return, can be charged with the same crime."

I see nothing about deadly forced being legally authorized for criminal trespassing.
 
Last edited:

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
Check this video out. A few teens, with their father, drive out to Area 51 to observe the signs. They come across a couple of elderly women about 7 miles away from the "No not cross" area of Area 51. The two women are confused, and appear lost, and mentioned how they wanted to take pictures of the signs. The teens told the ladies to follow them, but also mentioned NOT to pass them once they got to the signs. Well, the ladies ended up passing them, and proceeded PAST the "Do not cross" signs. Within seconds, the "camo guys" in their pick up truck took immediate pursuit, and the County Sheriff's Department made their way within a matter of minutes.

Watch for yourself to decide what happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Nt0jgGNek
 

PrayingForWar

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
1,701
Location
The Real World.
You should get arrested and charged with trespassing, unless they can prove you had other intentions of being there. Being shot on sight? Come on. That's ridiculous. What happens if some guys are out riding a dirt bike in the desert and fail to see the signs, and happened to speed through the little orange posts? Are their cowboy security going to start firing down on them?

Attention to detail, and situational awareness will help keep you alive. Go sneaking around on some rancher's property at night and see how much warning you get. The military has more tolerance for trespassing than a lot of cattle ranchers do here in TX do.
 

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
Attention to detail, and situational awareness will help keep you alive. Go sneaking around on some rancher's property at night and see how much warning you get. The military has more tolerance for trespassing than a lot of cattle ranchers do here in TX do.

BUT, is it legal? I do not see a single trespassing law that justifies the use of deadly force. Even in Federal offenses. If someone can find one, and cite it, that'd be great. I will concede that I am incorrect, but in the meantime, it sounds as if they are acting above the law. Breaking and entering or burglary is a different story. I am talking about criminal trespassing.
 

MarlboroLts5150

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
407
Location
San Antonio
You should get arrested and charged with trespassing, unless they can prove you had other intentions of being there. Being shot on sight? Come on. That's ridiculous. What happens if some guys are out riding a dirt bike in the desert and fail to see the signs, and happened to speed through the little orange posts? Are their cowboy security going to start firing down on them?

Where did you get the idea that you would be shot on sight???
 

Bookman

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
1,424
Location
Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States
You should get arrested and charged with trespassing, unless they can prove you had other intentions of being there. Being shot on sight? Come on. That's ridiculous. What happens if some guys are out riding a dirt bike in the desert and fail to see the signs, and happened to speed through the little orange posts? Are their cowboy security going to start firing down on them?

It doesn't say that you'll be shot on sight. It says that deadly force is authorized. That means that if you "accidentally" cross the boundary you'd better obey the guys who show up to "talk" to you. The use of deadly force involves a progression from the least amount of force (verbal) to the greatest, lethal (deadly) force. These aren't attack dogs we're talking about. They're highly trained military personnel.
 
Last edited:

fully_armed_biker

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2009
Messages
463
Location
Portsmouth, Virginia, USA
Where did you get the idea that you would be shot on sight???

+1

"Deadly Force Authorized" and "Trespassers will be shot on sight" are two completely different unrelated statements. Basically, the statement "Deadly Force Authorized" means, if you trespass, you will be arrested or at least stopped and questioned. If you attempt to resist or flee, we will do whatever we have to to apprehend you, up to and including shooting you!
 

eye95

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
13,524
Location
Fairborn, Ohio, USA
You should get arrested and charged with trespassing, unless they can prove you had other intentions of being there. Being shot on sight? Come on. That's ridiculous. What happens if some guys are out riding a dirt bike in the desert and fail to see the signs, and happened to speed through the little orange posts? Are their cowboy security going to start firing down on them?

Deadly force being authorized does not mean that they will shoot on sight. Any security guard shooting on sight will likely be brought up on charges and will also surely have any immunity to civil suit pierced.

As mentioned in earlier posts, shooting will be a last resort after several attempts to correct a trespass have failed. And, that is a lot more consideration than a trespasser will receive from property owners in some jurisdictions!

I kinda like that our nukes (for example) are protected by an authorization to use deadly force.
 

Aaron1124

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2009
Messages
2,044
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
Deadly force being authorized does not mean that they will shoot on sight. Any security guard shooting on sight will likely be brought up on charges and will also surely have any immunity to civil suit pierced.

As mentioned in earlier posts, shooting will be a last resort after several attempts to correct a trespass have failed. And, that is a lot more consideration than a trespasser will receive from property owners in some jurisdictions!

I kinda like that our nukes (for example) are protected by an authorization to use deadly force.

I agree with deadly forced being authorized for unauthorized entrance inside of a facility or an establishment (also known as burglary here in Washington). I am just arguing against it for criminal trespassing when it comes to the passing of a boundary line or being in the perimeter of someone else's property, whether it's government or privately owned. Even if I had $1,000,000,000 in my house, I wouldn't start firing at a man for walking on my driveway. I understand that you're saying it isn't necessarily justifying immediate deadly force, but having a sign that says "Deadly force authorized" seems more like an intimidation tactic to me.
 
Top