Baltimore police survey the scene. (AP/ Lloyd Fox)
© 2009 – Commentary
Earlier this week, Johns Hopkins University student John Pontolillo armed with a samurai sword killed an intruder attempting to rob his house. The intruder, Donald Rice, was a repeat offender with a long criminal record – 29 prior convictions.
Imagine if more households in Baltimore had samurai swords. Do you honestly think criminals would take the risk to rob a house when they could end up like some of Tom Cruise’s victims in The Last Samurai? I think not.
It should come as no surprise that the Baltimore Sun ran an opinion article stating that the intruder “didn’t deserve being hacked to death with a razor-sharp sword.” Well maybe he shouldn’t have been breaking into houses. Keep in mind that someone robbed Pontolillo’s house hours before and took a video-game console along with two laptop computers.
The article goes on to state, “Police tell people not to take matters into their own hands but to call the authorities – advice given to protect them against harm.” Wait, what? If the student had called the police, it would’ve been too late. I don’t know if the Sun knows this, but usually it takes cops more than 10 seconds to get to your house after you call them. The funny thing is that Pontolillo’s roommate actually called the police and by the time they arrived the intruder was dead. It could’ve just as easily been Pontolillo dead if he didn’t act in self-defense.
A samurai sword is a much better option than relying on the government for protection, especially the same government that didn’t rehabilitate Rice and decided to release him from prison literally this past Saturday.
In a staff editorial, the Baltimore Sun condemned the “gleeful reaction” to the act of self-defense. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t remember the Federal Hill bars having a samurai night where everyone was partying and chanting “SAM-UR-AI!”
In a news article, the Baltimore Sun failed to mention what the JHU newspaper did: Neighbors heard the scared JHU student screaming at the intruder to “get down, get the f--- on the ground” and “don’t you f---ing move.”
The JHU student succeeded where Maryland's criminal justice system failed and he should be commended.
If the city of Baltimore decides to charge the JHU student with any crime, it will only confirm time and time again that they will take the side of a criminal over a good citizen. After all, remember who Baltimore's mayor is.
For more information: See the headlines below.
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Comments
Good article. Belive it or not I was in a similar situation quite a few years ago. I had recently bought a Samuri sword and had it in my college dorm when my room mate was attacked. I decided not to use the sword because I didn't want to have to kill people and I feared that I would go to jail. There were also several intruders and I was concerned that they would get it away from me. Thankfully my call out the window for help scared the intuders off. My room mate was hurt but only needed a few stitches. It's a hard decision to make to kill someone in that situation.
nicely timed opinion piece. the situation is a sad commentary on how the justice system perpetuates the behavior of criminals.
Good stuff. In college I was once did a speech on the samurai. In college one day I walked across campus to class with a katana blade in. It was raining that day and people must of though it was an umbrella that wasn't opened up lol. I don't know.... Good piece though.
I am a police officer and I got NO problem with what this guy did. I personally believe that you should always warn intruders...give them the chance to just leave. Then call us and have us investigate. But honestly, it's hard for us to be pro-active. We can't be everywhere at once and we are often doing other "scheduled events" i.e. school patrols, "speed traps," training, etc. And you always have to remember that the vast majority of B&E's we have are by drug addicts, who are always in FULL use of their facualties and may become violent if confronted. May major hope is that Pontolillo won't have any resulting psychological trauma from this event, taking someones life--even when justified--can cause tremendous amounts of remorse and guilt. But most reporters and arm-chair geniuses neglect to mention this.
I made a mistake in the last post. I mean to say "drug addicts are NOT always in full use...." etc.
bein a long night
Good Article. It really is ashame that it happened the way it did, but all in this situation would have protected themselves the same way JP did.
Anyone who reaches for a phone in a situation like that had better be grabbing it to hit the intruder on the head.
I'm pretty sure you get expelled from most colleges today for having a weapon on campus, for a speech prop or in your dorm room.
Hopkins expelled a student last year for having a handgun in one of the apartment houses (it fell out of his pocket or holster while he was in the trash room).
Mr. Pontilillo performed a great service for the law abiding citizens of these United States when he removed Mr. Rice from among the living.
The real fault in this case lies not with Mr. Pontilillo, nor with the corp of armed archeologists that we know as the police (they rarely if ever protect anyone and normally are only called in to pick up the pieces looking for evidence only after a crim is successfully committed.) No, the true fault lies with the totally incompetent staff of the Baltimore City States attorney's office and the sittting judges in Baltimore City. They should all be fired and replaced immediately. The late, lamented Mr. Rice managed to commit 28 crimes in Baltimore City and served little if any jail time since the vast majority of his cases were "nolle prosequi" or not prosecuted for various reasons. Then, looking for greener pastures in his criminal practice, Mr. Rice came to Baltimore County where he at least got a few months in jail.
@PWsheriff
Warning an intruder? F**K THAT! He broke into another mans house. he had to die.
"psychological trauma from ... taking someones life"lol how old r u? this is 2009 we r so desensitize to this kinda stuff we laugh when we see it in person.
the only violence u saw as a kid was howdy doody throwing pies at ppl.
j
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