Stand your ground law and my unfortunate situation with "new neighbor"

[jd4320t]

Well to start off, I love this site and have learned a lot from it! This is a long story so strap in. Back in my early 20's I worked for a car lot and my boss was kinda shady. Over the years I met a few of his friends and one of them we will call "Sneeze" so sneeze is a very shady character who was just released from prison, hes about 6'7 and 300lbs. The best way I can describe him is debow from the movie friday. Anyways he ended up getting busted in fort wayne back in 2003 with like 6 kilos of cocaine and weed and was on a high speed chase etc. I guess he was selling to undercover officers. So he has been in prison for the last 10 years and over that time I would get a phone call or someone would get word to me that I needed to come put money on his books or that I owed him money. I later found out that after he was locked up someone broke into his residence and he thought it was me and they took some items. This guy has people fear him thru intimidation and I would always hang up if he ever got ahold of me. Well it gets even weirder as now he moved into the house directly across the street from me. I saw him out one night and he yelled over at me and I just ignored him and locked up my vehicle and went back in. Anyways I have a family now, and no way am associated or want to be associated with this unsavory character. I have talked to a couple people and am considering a restraining order. I also know there may be some officers on here that can maybe help possibly too? I have my CCW permit and am afraid hes going to approach me on my property when im coming or going one of these days. The guy is twice my size and am I within my legal right to protect myself if he starts coming at me on my property? Any suggestions you guys may have would be great and if you have questions on the story I can answer them in better detail. Its so weird bc the lady who bought the house just moved in last November, I met her(divorced) and her kids and they seemed nice, then over the winter I kept seeing this BMW parked outside and now its nicer outside I find out its Big Sneeze and Im assuming this lady is his girlfriend! Of all the luck for new neighbors! thanks and i hope my rambling post made some sense

Why would he say you owed him money and accuse you of breaking in his house?

 

[Conner85]

I'd tell him you didn't do it and he can take your word or leave it. My dad spent a lot of his life in prison hearing about a lot of stuff going on outside the walls. But when certain people finally got the balls to confront him with their side of the story, that's all it took to squash it. He's very intimidating and was the second biggest inmate at Wabash Valley who worked out religiously. But he also has one of the kindest hearts I've ever known. A lot of ex-cons do live on the outside as if they were still on the inside, but that's almost like PTSD for prisoners. Call him up, explain yourself and be done with it. If he escalates it after that, you have every right to defend yourself with deadly force. Which is why you have a 4 year/lifetime PERSONAL PROTECT license to carry a handgun. Otherwise there wouldn't be any reason for it. But just make sure you can prove he was coming at you with intent to harm you or your family.

 

[NicholasScott]

your new neighbor sounds like a lot of guys i have met when they get out of prison...its all intimidation man. They think just because they did so many years in the "pen" they can treat people however they want. You just have to be firm and stand your ground...dont show any sign of fear towards him. The more fear you show or the more you let him know that he bothers you, the more this idiot is going to get off on intimidating you.

 

[Fixer]

I have to agree with others that avoiding talking to him may actually make the problem bigger. Nothing wrong with calling him and clearing the air and politely tell him you do not wish to have a friendship with him. You can tape the call and if the conversation turnd bad give it to his PO. If not you at least have it as evidence that you told him to stay away.

No reason to get all worked up over the unknown. He may just want to know if you knew who took his stuff, or maybe to tell you he doesn't think you did it.

Carry always and be aware of your surroundings at all times, you may have an ex con neighbor you don't know about.

 

[Bang-bang]

you need a video system, for starters!

 

[Paul30]

I can't believe his moving across from the guy he believes ripped him off is a coincidence, no way. First thing does the family know about the situation, they can't practice situational awareness if they don't know the situation. Find out if he is on parole, if he breaks the parole he goes back for the rest of his sentence. If you use a smart phone, get a good call recorder, most states including Indiana are one person consent for recording, and you count as the one person so it's perfectly legal and great protection. Once you have the app or method to record it, try it out a couple times to make sure it works, they don't usually work on Bluetooth since it is data, so you may need to use your cell phone the old fashion way or on speaker, TEST IT. Now that the recording works reliably, when you call him or if he calls you it will be admissible evidence. You know you are recording, he does not. Carry the conversation to where there is nothing talked around, pin him down. Example, if he says if you don't pay him money bad things can happen (he could always claim he meant Karma, you will not win the lottery, etc). Pin him down, rephrase the question like "Are you telling me that you would physically harm myself or my family if I don't pay you money that I don't even owe you? Don't let him talk around the topic, make sure you make him state it so it will be enough evidence to lock him up again. If you use a Samsung Galaxy phone, I highly recommend the app Galaxy Call Recorder, costs a little but works great and would be cheap insurance in your situation. You can also email the conversation so it is no longer on the phone, or email it to his parole officer when you visit with them explaining why they need to revoke his parole and or issue a restraining order. Bad people have bad friends, don't think he won't drop back into his old group of friends and ask them to do him a favor, so it may not be just him that you need to worry about. Secure the home if it is not done so with GOOD locks and a security system with outside camera's are a good idea. If the camera's record as they should, it could also be evidence in case he starts dealing drugs again or tries something in view of the camera's. A personal recorder is a good thing to have on you in case he confronts you too, it can support your side of the story when the ambulance hauls him away if it goes as far as needing to shoot him. Phones can record audio and video too, need to keep the recorder on the front screen so you don't need to dig for it. Might make sure wife carries protection too in case he tries to hurt you through her or any kids. If there are any threats, make sure you report them so it is documented in case it escalates later, get it on record. Best case scenario is if you can call him where he is not in arms reach, and explain to him that you got a few messages while he was in that implied you stole his things, tell him I don't know who told you that, but it is not true. I never stole from you, but you may check out whoever told you that because someone is trying to throw you off the real person who did. Again, once the RECORDED conversation begins, make sure everything is clearly stated for evidence if it goes south. As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, use caller ID block when you call.

May look him up and review his record. Indiana Offender Database Search

Galaxy Call recorder here, others will also be listed if you are not a samsung galaxy owner. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.oduzhar.galaxycallrecorder

Sorry about your problems, choose your friends carefully, and stay away from the bad crowd.


If all this does not good, buy several cases of drinks and pizza and hold an INGO meet and greet in your front yard.

 

[Leo]

While I appreciate the situation that Cole has with the neighbor, the second sad thing is what he posted on post #10. The woman WITH CHILDREN has elected to include this street thug into her home. I can see things going badly there also. BACA is not very big in Indiana. In Texas, even the cps would "off record" mention BACA in tough situations where the law is either ineffective of too slow to respond before more harm comes to the kids.

 

[level0]

Get some carry and self-defense insurance pronto! Sounds like you may need it.

 

[EricG]

Do not avoid him. This will certainly make him feel like youre guilty. Talk with him, explain the situation and allow him to make the next move...or not.

 

[You'll shoot your eye out]

While I appreciate that the guy is stressing you out just by his presence, You must consider that nothing is different from last week, month or year. He was out there before you found him, and was plainly aware of you even before he was released. I GUARANTEE that he is no more dangerous than the hundreds of teenagers that haven't even been into the system yet..... And you have shared the streets with ALL OF THEM without concern up till now.

Just live as you have been, be prepared to defend yourself and your household against all threats, visible like this guy and invisible like the loony kids who look so young and innocent. It's a tough world out there, but your presence in it is partially what makes the world so tough. If the guy is wise he is as worried as you are. If he is foolish then he is only one more of a hundred just like him, guys that you are ready to defend yourself against.

As far as conversing with him goes I don't know what is best, but I have always heard "Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer" and " A good defense means a good offense".

Not to change the subject but here is a specific circumstance where open carry would speak volumes while you decide if silence or confrontation is the best way to handle this problem. Even among sheep there are those who are displaying horns. The wolf steers far clear of the ram, even if he is a sheep.

 

[MisterChester]

I would reconsider the restraining order. Talk to him first, don't show fear and be firm.

 

[ultra...good]

One of the times that I am glad that I no longer live anywhere near where I grew up. Not that I was close to the criminal element, but it is so much easier to avoid those types if you do not run into them in person, particularly if they do not live right across the street from you.

Good luck to you and keep your head clear.

 

[HoughMade]

May need to re-evaluate the kinds of people you associate with.

That's great advice....if he has access to a time machine.

 

[Cole46845]

Well I have read some good advice on here and I THINK im gonna call him and try and set it straight. My wife does know about this. My ex-gf also knows about this which is another whole crazy layer of the story, which is just too much to explain or comprehend! Anyways I think im gonna just call and try and make it go away that route bc it seems inevitable that he is gonna approach me? The most he has done is yell across the street at me one night(yelled my name) and it was dark and i was locking my truck at the time and just ignored him and went back inside fast........blah life is stressful!

 

[halfmileharry]

"The most he has done is yell across the street at me one night(yelled my name) and it was dark and i was locking my truck at the time and just ignored him and went back inside fast........blah life is stressful! "
Sounds like your fears may be getting the best of you. Life's what you make it to be. IF...IF, this guy is a problem FIX it IF...IF something happens to make it a problem.
Don't talk or worry yourself into making this a messy situation until it is. Keep a constant vigil, be prepared, and don't lose your composure and clear thinking at all. So far you're recognizing the POSSIBILITY of a problem. Nothing more at this point. Just tell the guy "What a coincidence you moving across from me" and gather information from there.
Throwing an "ex" into this is about as good as "Jerry" or at least getting close.

 

[churchmouse]

Well I have read some good advice on here and I THINK im gonna call him and try and set it straight. My wife does know about this. My ex-gf also knows about this which is another whole crazy layer of the story, which is just too much to explain or comprehend! Anyways I think im gonna just call and try and make it go away that route bc it seems inevitable that he is gonna approach me? The most he has done is yell across the street at me one night(yelled my name) and it was dark and i was locking my truck at the time and just ignored him and went back inside fast........blah life is stressful!

This gets a bit deeper as it goes along. Might be more to this but hey....set him straight and keep going down the path you are on.

 

[mainjet]

This gets a bit deeper as it goes along. Might be more to this but hey....set him straight and keep going down the path you are on.

Sneeze is 6'7 and weighs 300 lbs. The OP is only 3' 3.5" and weighs 150 lbs. How is this fat little midget supposed to set sneeze straight?

 

[churchmouse]

Sneeze is 6'7 and weighs 300 lbs. The OP is only 3' 3.5" and weighs 150 lbs. How is this fat little midget supposed to set sneeze straight?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My main point is the more he posts the deeper this story gets. It would be an interesting couple of beers to get the real down-low on this.

 

[Jack Burton]

Why would he say you owed him money and accuse you of breaking in his house?

I got fingered once as a police informant by the kid who was the real stoolie. It covered his skin and made the problem mine. If the kids who were busted by the police had even thought a moment about it they would have realized that it was virtually impossible for me to have been the one since I didn't even know them. But then again, if they were that bright they would not have been dope heads. It probably would not have worked out well over the next months but I was on my way to boot camp a few weeks later and never looked back.

 

[printcraft]

.......... My ex-gf also knows about this which is another whole crazy layer of the story, which is just too much to explain or comprehend! ...............

Let me guess........... Ex GF screwing the sneeze and stole his stuff and then blamed you?