one-eyed fat man's Journal

In common law, a hue and cry is a process by which bystanders are summoned to assist in the apprehension of a criminal who has been witnessed in the act of committing a crime. Anyone who witnessed a crime shall make hue and cry, and that the hue and cry must be kept up against the fleeing criminal from town to town and from county to county, until the felon is apprehended and delivered to the sheriff. All able-bodied men, upon hearing the shouts, were obliged to assist in the pursuit of the criminal, which makes it comparable to the posse comitatus. It was moreover provided that a hundred that failed to give pursuit on the hue and cry would become liable in case of any theft or robbery.

Kentucky revised Statutes 70.060 Sheriff may command power of county.

"Any sheriff, deputy sheriff or other like officer may command and take with him the power of the county, or a part thereof, to aid him in the execution of the duties of his office, and may summon as many persons as he deems necessary to aid him in the performance thereof."

Good thing you live in a time and place where you can watch crime and not get involved. You should be shamed by the name of "Kitty Genovese."

Thirty-eight neighbors of Kitty Genovese were aware about the murder that was taking place during that time and yet all of them chose to do nothing in rescue of the assaulted girl. One cold-hearted bastard turned up his TV so the screaming of the girl being butchered at his doorstep wouldn't interfere with his evening. On March 13, 1964, these fine upstanding New Yorkers put, "I didn't want to get involved," in the American lexicon.

Winston Moseley chased her down and stabbed her in the back twice. She screamed and he fled, returning ten minutes later. Seeing his prey lying on the ground almost unconscious, he stabbed her several times more, he stole her money, and for good measure, sexually assaulted her.

Would you view an individual who intervened and gotten injured or killed in the process as foolhardy? Had an individual had been able to stop the assault by killing the assailant would he be a vigilante? Is simply calling the police enough? Or will you close the window and turn up the TV?