I have to preface how this question came up between me and my buddy.
My wife was telling me of a very disturbing story she heard while we were just in California. She told me a couple months back that she had read a story of a man that dragged a small child out of his truck, stopped in the street and in front of onlookers proceeded to beat and stomp this small baby to death. Having a 5 month old baby girl, this story kinda hit home and left me with some horrific images in my mind. They said they couldnt even ID the child due to the severe trauma.
Anyways, a Sheriff's officer that happened to be airborn in a helicopter nearby, landed in a cow pasture next to him and couldnt get to him because of an electric fence between him and the scumbag.....so he just shot the guy dead. At least it ends on a happy note.
So I was talking with my buddy the other day and was telling him about the story and how it really bothered me. We always like to "what if" each other so he asks me what would I have done if I drove up on a scene like that. My first thought was that I would pull a three iron from the golf bag in the back of my truck and split the guys skull like a watermelon. So he says "just like that.....no hesitation?" I say "Of course....gladly".
So he says, "What if after you cave this guys grape in with your golf club, you realize the infant he was stomping to death was a cabbage patch doll?"
What would happen? Would you be legally justified in killing a guy that you thought was stomping a baby to death but it ended up being a doll?
I would think yes........