{"id":2317500,"date":"2024-08-01T12:46:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-01T16:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minnesota-supreme-court-rules-person-being-threatened-cannot-brandish-weapon-if-reasonably-possible-to-retreat-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-01T12:48:01","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T16:48:01","slug":"minnesota-supreme-court-rules-person-being-threatened-cannot-brandish-weapon-if-reasonably-possible-to-retreat-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minnesota-supreme-court-rules-person-being-threatened-cannot-brandish-weapon-if-reasonably-possible-to-retreat-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Supreme Court rules person being threatened cannot brandish weapon if \u2018reasonably possible to retreat\u2019 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fminnesota-supreme-court-rules-person-being-threatened-cannot-brandish-weapon-if-reasonably-possible-to-retreat-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2317500&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Minnesota Supreme Court \u2064has ruled that individuals who are threatened must retreat from the situation\u200b if it is &#8220;reasonably possible,&#8221; rather than resorting to \u200bdisplaying a dangerous weapon. This decision arose from a case involving Earley Romero Blevins, who brandished a\u200d machete after being threatened by a \u2063man\u200b with a\u2063 knife on a rail platform in June 2021. Blevins \u2064was convicted of second-degree assault-fear with a dangerous weapon, as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/whitehouse-pushes-justice-dept-to-support-controversial-donor-disclosure-rule\/\" title=\"Whitehouse Pushes Justice Dept. to Support Controversial Donor Disclosure Rule\">court found<\/a> that\u200b he\u2064 had \u2064a &#8220;duty&#8221; to\u2064 retreat\u2062 rather than \u200bconfront the threat with a\u2064 weapon. The court&#8217;s \u2064ruling, which was \u2063a 4-2 decision, upheld a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-supreme-court-backs-teacher-ousted-for-rejecting-trans-policies\/\" title=\"Virginia Supreme Court Backs Teacher Ousted for Rejecting Trans Policies\">lower court&#8217;<\/a>s finding that Blevins\u2063 had \u2062a reasonable \u200dopportunity to retreat \u200cbut failed\u2063 to do so.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Minnesota Supreme Court rules person being threatened cannot brandish weapon if &lsquo;reasonably possible to retreat&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1720285\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Minnesota\">Minnesota<\/a> Supreme <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/courts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Court\">Court<\/a> ruled that when a person is being threatened or <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"attacked\">attacked<\/a>, he or she must retreat if &ldquo;reasonably possible&rdquo; rather than brandish a &ldquo;dangerous weapon.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In June 2021, Earley Romero Blevins pulled out a machete after a man with a knife allegedly threatened him on a rail platform in Minnesota. Blevins was arguing with a woman when the man approached him, and he said the man with the knife told him to come to the shelter at the station so &ldquo;he could slice Blevins&rsquo;s throat.&rdquo; Blevins argued he pointed the machete at the woman and two men because he feared for his safety.<\/p>\n<p>Blevins was tried and convicted of second-degree assault-fear with a dangerous weapon, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-rejects-biden-admin-request-to-implement-immigration-policy\/\" title=\"Supreme Court rejects Biden admin. request to implement immigration policy\">high court rejected<\/a> his claims of self-defense on Wednesday by stating he had a &ldquo;duty&rdquo; to retreat rather than threaten the would-be attacker with a weapon. The 4-2 Minnesota&nbsp;Supreme Court ruling affirmed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-to-hear-appeal-over-ky-abortion-law\/\" title=\"SCOTUS to hear appeal over Ky. abortion law\">lower court ruling<\/a> that &ldquo;he had a reasonable opportunity to retreat and failed to do so.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We hold that a person claiming self-defense has a duty to retreat when reasonably possible before committing the felony offense of second-degree assault-fear with a dangerous weapon, specifically, a device designed as a weapon and capable of producing death or great bodily harm,&rdquo; the majority ruling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mncourts.gov\/mncourtsgov\/media\/Appellate\/Supreme%20Court\/Standard%20Opinions\/OPA220432-073124.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The dissent slammed the majority opinion, stating it &ldquo;flies in the face of human nature&rdquo; and was &ldquo;unprecedented.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Today, the court takes the law of self-defense into uncharted waters. This new rule is not only unprecedented in this state &mdash; as far as I am aware, the rule has never been adopted anywhere in the United States,&rdquo; Justice Paul Thissen wrote in the dissent.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Until now, the collective wisdom of judges nationwide over hundreds of years has never imposed a duty to retreat before making threats to deter an aggressor,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>One other justice joined Thissen&rsquo;s dissent, while the remaining three joined Justice Margaret Chutich&rsquo;s majority opinion.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1720285\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1720285\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Minnesota Supreme Court has determined that an individual who is threatened or attacked must retreat, if it is &#8220;reasonably possible,&#8221; instead of displaying a &#8220;dangerous weapon.&#8221; This ruling stems from an incident in June 2021, where Earley Romero Blevins brandished a machete after being allegedly threatened by a man with a knife at a rail platform. Blevins was involved in an argument with a woman when the man approached him and reportedly said he would &#8220;slice Blevins&#8217;s throat.&#8221; Blevins claimed he pointed the machete at the woman and two men out of fear for his safety. He was subsequently tried and convicted of second-degree assault-fear with a dangerous weapon. The court dismissed his self-defense claims on Wednesday, emphasizing that he had an obligation to retreat rather than threaten the alleged attacker with his weapon. The 4-2 ruling upheld lower court findings that indicated he had a reasonable chance to retreat but did not take it. The majority opinion stated, \u201cA person asserting self-defense has a duty to retreat when reasonably possible before committing second-degree assault-fear with a dangerous weapon.\u201d In contrast, dissenting opinions criticized this ruling as contrary to human nature and unprecedented in legal history, noting that no similar requirement has been established anywhere else in the U.S. Justice Paul Thissen remarked that historically judges have never mandated retreat before making threats against aggressors. One other justice supported Thissen\u2019s dissent while three justices aligned with Justice Margaret Chutich\u2019s majority view<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2317501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/minnesota-supreme-court-self-defense.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[36794,36881,36883,11684,36882],"class_list":["post-2317500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-legal-ruling","tag-minnesota-supreme-court","tag-retreat-laws","tag-self-defense","tag-weapon-brandishing"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/minnesota-supreme-court-self-defense.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2317500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2317500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2317500\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2317501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2317500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2317500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2317500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}