Given the possible legal repercussions, unless I think someone is in immediate danger of being killed or severely injured I plan to stay out of a situation and call 911. I'm very glad the guy didn't get any charges pressed against him, but I don't think he made a wise choice in this situation.
I would guess the "victim" of the stabbing was not cooperative, which would also play a role in the decision to charge. No cooperative and credible victim makes a lot of decisions at the prosecutor. Given his own involvement in a domestic (probably) and giving false information on identity, I'd just guess he wasn't either.
This seems like a textbook situation in which one should not get involved, based on everything I've heard and read from Branca, Ayoob, and members here.
Thanks for sharing this, because for me, the real "lesson" of this incident is preparing oneself for the challenge of ignoring the human instinct to aid a seemingly defenseless person suffering and crying for help.
As much as I would like to think I would behave "reasonably" in such a situation, if not mentally conditioned to ignore the instinct to render aid, I could see how it might be difficult to do so in practice.
This likely goes toward disparity of force, but I doubt it would hold in a lot of places given the situation.Originally Posted by SIRTainly
I'm betting the attacker has history/priors, and the woman's statement had much more to do with the outcome.
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Personally I don't like to see a woman being abused. But I really think I would have stayed out of it. It had all the telltale signs of a domestic situation that could have gone sideways and the Good Samaritan could have had three attackers. Additionally I see the guy deploying a knife as unwarranted at the time. If there were disparity of force issues then he should have minded his own business and stayed out of it and just called for help.
I have often wondered about a situation where one is involved in a defensive use of force far from home. Hawaii for most mainlanders would qualify as far. Usually I'm thinking in terms of someone carrying a firearm in a state with reciprocity and then forced to defend themself. Being subject to court appearances far from home sounds really cumbersome. However certainly better than taking a dirt nap. For this very reason I would be extra careful about interceding.
A good discussion of getting involved, from last year.
"Sapiens dicit: 'Ignoscere divinum est, sed noli pretium plenum pro pizza sero allata solvere.'" - Michelangelo
I think this is where the smart money is.
OP didn't report seeing any definitive strikes by the male against the female. The male was attempting to force the woman to stay in the hotel room. The woman voluntarily returned to the hotel room to get her things.
These observations tell me: (1) the woman was not in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death; (2) the woman did not believe her life is in imminent danger. Best course of action would have been to call 911 (which OP did) and observe the situation without inserting himself into the dispute until something changed (i.e., the male starts beating the woman).
I'm not saying what I would have done if I had been OP. I don't have enough exposure to violent confrontations to be confident I could reliably determine the woman was not in imminent danger of SBI/death. My pre-determined response to domestic disturbances (which this appeared to have been) is to start by not getting involved other than to call 911. Once the woman came back to the room voluntarily, my willingness to get involved would have plummeted. That behavior is not rational and I don't want to get involved in a violent confrontation where I don't understand anyone's motivations.
Even off duty cops are usually better off being a good witness and calling 911. Not intervening doesnt mean ignore whats happening. I would have bet money on him being prosecuted for using a knife. Most places would not see that as appropriate response to a minor sounding fistfight.
As much as it makes me sad to say. "Yes."
Life is hard, mean, and cruel and often driven by our own choices. I gotta get back to my family and take care of them, even if I am physically ok but imprisoned or throwing stacks of money at a lawyer that is not taking care of them.
I went out of my way twice this weekend to winch folks cars out of ditches so I am not adverse to helping out but yea gotta be smart on picking them.
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