Criminal’s family may pursue legal action against victim

Just because police say you acted properly in self defense, it doesn’t mean that you’re legally in the clear.

Consider the Waffle House case from Chesnee, South Carolina in 2012. A man licensed to carry a firearm sits down in a restaurant to have a meal, but soon
finds himself in the middle of an armed robbery.

He decides he won’t be a victim and shoots and kills one of the two criminals. Now two years later, the family decides they may go after him.

According to a report in World Net Daily, he was “… cleared by police investigators and faced no charges. But the family still might pursue legal action.”

A man licensed by the state of South Carolina to carry a weapon and defend himself faces the threat of a lawsuit by the family members of an armed teen he shot and killed who was trying to rob a restaurant.

The robber’s family alleges Justin Harrison should have been trained better, and they may even pursue legal action against him for shooting and killing Dante Williams, 19, who was trying to rob a Waffle House in Chesnee, South Carolina, in 2012.

The case again is in the news because authorities recently released a video of the attempted armed robbery.

Fox affiliate WHNS-TV in Greenville, South Carolina, posted the video online and reported that Williams’ family members admit the teen was in the Waffle House to rob it.

Authorities say Harrison, who was in the restaurant, fired several times at Williams, killing him.

Williams’ accomplice, Jawan Craig, was caught later, convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Here’s a news report that shows some of the surveillance video:


This is just one more example of why it’s not enough to be the good guy or even to have clear evidence that you acted properly when you defend yourself.

A criminal or a criminal’s family can pursue legal action at any time and for nearly any reason. Even if they don’t win, you’ll have to spend money to defend yourself.