I realize that going to the range and shooting your gun is the fun and exciting part of gun ownership. However, I think more attention needs to be paid to what happens if you ever have to use your gun in an actual self-defense shooting. For example, what happens when the police arrive? Should you talk to them? Are they going to arrest you?
Personally, I’ve spent a lot of time and money with my lawyer getting these exact questions answered and I recommend that all gun owners do the same and at the very least, have a lawyer you can call. However, if you’re ever in a self-defense shooting you might not have your lawyer’s phone number handy and your loved ones might not know who to contact either.
That’s why I created the “aftermath contact” form…
You see, the reason people like you and me own guns is because we’re intelligent enough to realize it’s a form of insurance. Of course, we pray our house never burns down, or we never get in a car crash or someone never tries to kill us. But we’ve got insurance for all three.
And the “aftermath contact” form is part of my insurance and part of being prepared so that if I ever have to defend myself with a firearm, my loved ones know exactly who to call and what to do.
So let’s get to exactly what this form is: In short, it’s a simple document that is kept in one or more safe locations where my family members can access it. The first item on the form is my lawyer’s complete contact information. This includes his phone number and email address.
The second item…
Is the contact information of the expert witness that I plan to use along with his phone number and email address. However, my family has been instructed to give this information to my lawyer so that he can call the expert witness. My family is not to call them on their own.
Next, they are supposed to have my lawyer contact a private investigator and to have that investigator go to the scene and take pictures. My family is also instructed to go and take pictures if at all possible.
I also have a place to put the name of a close friend or family member to come and be with my wife to comfort her and be with her as she’s doing all of this. After that is a place to contact someone to start arranging bail. Perhaps you have a wealthy family member or friend or someone you know who could lend you a large amount of money at a moment’s notice. If you don’t know anyone who could come up with a lot of money then this form also has a place to put the information of several bail bondsmen.
And because I believe this form is so important and it only takes a few minutes to fill out, I’ve attached a blank copy to this page for you. Print it off, fill it out, and store it in a safe place. You’ll hopefully never need it, but at least your family knows what to do if you ever have to use deadly force to defend your life
good to know
The link to the actual form seems to be broken…
I have a simpler solution. I joined Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network. For a small fee they provide a list of local attorneys familiar with firearms defense strategies, a substantial initial payment to your attorney to start your defense and expert witnesses like Massad Ayoob to testify on your behalf.
I have an even better solution: why not have an attorney already signed up who can not only help you if a shooting occurs but also educate and help train you in the law beforehand?
Seems to me to indicate pre-meditation. “So you were anticipating being involved in a gunfight so you started carrying a ‘Aftermath Contacts’ form? Please explain to the jury how you knew you were about to be involved in a shooting. Did you go looking for someone to shoot? How long have you had this obsession with shooting people and with handguns?”
I’m not arguing, I’m just saying.
This is a non-starter of an argument. I keep an envelope in my desk that, in the event I die in car accident (or whatever), will help my family find insurance policies and other important information. Using your argument you could say I am planning on dying, which I obviously am not. Being prepared and planning ahead in the event of being in a situation where SOMEONE ELSE is causing you to defend your life – how is that premeditated?
“…how is that premeditated?”
It’s not, Jones is a moron.
I don’t think Jones is a moron. He’s offering an opinion. It is still a free country where people can voice their views on a topic/issue. I understand & agree with Jeff’s analogy, but I do think that in the case of using a personal firearm in self defense an attorney might try to make the argument in Jones comment.
I also don’t think that Jones is a moron. If you’ve EVER been questioned by an attourney that is trying to scramble your brain and get your temper flaired. These are the types of things he/she will say. They play head games with you trying to get you to say things in response to their idiocies. I’ve been there. Even my own lawyer did it to me just to see what I would say. Thats the same as carrying using hand loads… What, standard factory ammo isn’t deadly enough for you ? You have to build special man killer bullets ??? So you planned on shooting and klilling someone with these, didn’t you ? …… Get my drift CCH & Jeff Roe ?????
After DEFENDING YOURSELF:
Make NO statement WHATSOEVER to the police other than
I WANT MY ATTORNEY
DO NOT answer ANY QUESTIONS REMAIN SILENT
The ONLY thing you need to say to any LE person is
I WANT MY ATTORNEY
I have been involved in several CCW shootings(4) and ONLY made that statement. Im still a free and armed man and still have my CCW permits and was NOT charged in any of the shootings.
Remember this:
Anything you say can be used against you.
If you say NOTHING then NOTHING can be used against you.
I know,you will be amped up and want to tell your story. Thats exactly what the police will be hoping for so they can trip you up.
SAY NOTHING and you avoid this issue altogether.
On my first shoot, I sat for 13 1/2 hours in the interview room CUFFED TO THE WALL. They came in many times with many different angles to try to get me to talk. All I kept saying was I WANT MY ATTORNEY.
I pray none of you have to actually shoot someone. It is the farthest thing from how it appears on TV. If you DO have to shoot to protect yourself, SAY NOTHING. Hand them NOTHING. Sit there and look at the wall. BLANK OUT. ANSWER NO QUESTIONS I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH. The minute you open your mouth,you run the risk of being charged.
BEEN THERE (four times)
DONE THAT
PASSING THE WISDOM ALONG TO YOU ALL.
Most of your recommendation is correct aside from the obvious need to identify oneself, cooperate, and advise that you want your attorney present during the detailed shoot description. Please take no offense but is your CCW actually issued in Chicago and a state that does NOT issue CCW’s?
Premeditation, in the law of homicide, merely means you had time to reflect on your action. It can be as quick as a second. Having arranged for a lawyer ahead of time is good insurance. There is a reason lawyers are called “mouthpieces”, because your lawyer is better able to tell your story than you are. And, all conversations with your lawyer are protected by an attorney-client privilege. Further, the answer to all those questions you pose, (and they are good questions by the way), is “I have never been obsessed with shooting anyone but I have always been concerned with protecting myself or a loved-one when faced with an imminent threat of death or great bodily injury.”
But, good questions and easily handled by a competent and knowledgeable 2d Amendment attorney who practices criminal defense.
by your logic I should NOT have an attorney.
Afterall that is premeditation, right?
I carry an “Emergency Contact” list with me at all times. Although the list is not in the context as Jason has presented, it does list; family, medical, and legal contacts for me in the event of an emergency. It also contains my blood type as well as any allergies to medications. This should cover “any” emergency.
Good article. If the horror of defending ourselves or our family ever occured then there will be an aftermath to deal with and the defender may be very rattled indeed.