My friend was forced out of a house they trespassed in, at gunpoint by the owner. Was it legal for the owner to do this?
Let’s review:
- Four people broke into a private home and used it to throw a party.
- They were confronted by the owner who demanded that they leave and they refused.
- Allegedly a threat or threats were then made by the trespassers (aka your friend and his friends)
- The owner retrieved a weapon and forced them to leave at gunpoint
And the takeaway from this is that you are asking if it was legal for the owner to do this?
Since your friends outnumbered the property owner and allegedly threatened him, he could have shot and killed all four of them (unless they were outside the home, fleeing) and while he might have been briefly arrested, he probably would have not faced any criminal repercussions for his actions.
Your friend is still in a great deal of trouble if the homeowner decides to pursue this matter with the authorities. Breaking and entering. Trespassing. Open containers laws (in areas where you are not allowed to have open containers outside of your home, a business or in a vehicle). The threats themselves. Damaging property. And that’s if none of the partygoers had drugs on them, left drug paraphernalia in the home or are on parole or probation. If the police question them and get even one to admit that the events occurred or worse for them, they are stupid enough to approach the police with the story which you have related, they could easily be talking themselves into felony convictions.
Your friend needs to drop this matter, thank whatever deity he might believe in that he is still alive, hope that the homeowner doesn’t press charges and discontinue talking about this before it gets into the wrong ears and his life gets radically worse than it already is.