Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer this week signed into law a new self-defense statute that will “steal the thunder” from gun prohibitionists who invariably whine that armed citizens might “take the law into their own hands.”
The new statute squarely puts the law in the hands of the citizens, by plainly stating they have no duty to retreat if attacked in a place where they have a right to be.
The law also allows armed citizens to use force or threaten the use of force when he or she reasonably believes an attack is about to occur, or to stop an attack already in progress.
There is also a section on citizen’s arrest, and one that codifies the legality of open carry. It is a gun prohibitionist’s nightmare, but for the armed Montana citizen – or anybody visiting the Big Sky Country – it may just be the best news they’ve had this year.
Any person who is not otherwise prohibited from doing so by federal or state law may openly carry a weapon and may communicate to another person the fact that the person has a weapon.
Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA) sent an e-mail the other day that applauded several people, including NRA's Brian Judy, but criticized others.
In particular, he leveled his remarks against “the few law enforcement administrators and prosecutors who are so afraid of armed citizens that they lied and claimed end-of-life-on-Earth in opposing HB 228.”
“You need to work locally to replace these people,” Marbut observed. “They just don’t have a Montana attitude.” Read more
Source: Seattle Gun Rights Examiner
