First a Disclaimer " I absolutely believe in Training, (Defensive, and Aggressive(more military style). I believe the right training can and will save your life. I also believe that while range training has some benefit, there are other styles and aspects of training that might be more useful, especially when it comes to gross motor skills vs fine motor skills and what actually happens under stress. End of my General Disclaimer.
I was in a discussion recently with a number of LEOs around training, court and prosecutions. (Police, Agents, and certain others).
The discussion point is this:
We are all told to train, hone our skill and craft, make our fun and our proficiency high. It is recognized that it is needed when the mess hits the fan, God Forbid any of us have that issue, including LEOS.
This has the potential to hurt us in the court house.
Their point being the average American (non Gun familiar) thinks of training in a certain way (expertise), therefore when it comes up in court you are judged more harshly based upon how well you have chased being a “Responsible Gun “Weapon” Carrying Citizen”
A Responsible Gun carrying citizen goes to training and grows in weapon usage, mechanics, powders, cartridges , shooting scenarios and Training, be it in home invasion or shooting from a vehicle or just basic assault training defensive or aggressive, phycological win methods or other (OODA loop example) etc.
The issue is if in court much like a professional boxer , the average juror will see us with our training as more of an expert, and then they will bring their own individual personal views, usually unrealistic (like why don’t you just shoot the guy in the hand or the leg) not knowing anything about stress, gross motor response etc. to the decision. And yes you had a trial , but the reality could be that your training in the jury mind put you in the same category as a professional boxer ie. don’t use your hands because you could kill someone, so the bar is set unconsciously higher.
The way that you are protected from this is how you enter the process if you have a problem, what you or your (Good)lawyer says and when. Do you sit for two or three days in a cell, while waiting for the investigation/probable cause report to be finished before you say anything with your lawyer (that may be perceived as a hostile act by LEO, but it may save by our backside. or are you only talking after the initial investigation is finished and the initial rulings on probable cause (the laws broken and what you are charged with) is finished when you actually know what you are fighting or being charged with?
Training is the cure to our safety and our survival, but if used as a tool to send us to jail in court, that is a problem that needs to be rectified.
That leads to the opening question of DOES our training (perhaps Can is a better word)Hurt us??
We pass all of these verifications but if in court get no credit for that,
We take training to the level of lifestyle but in court can have that used against us (heaven help us if we didn’t train)
What is your opinion, the USCCA has some great lawyers that discuss (one from Arizona is particularly effective in his communication on the issue).
Does Training help or Hurt, by the time court comes, what say you. The ones being put in the fire.