Hero or Criminal?

[ShangriLaTroubl]

They were discussing this on MSNBC tonight, and there were indeed a lot of intense arguments. I would like to know your opinions on this. Ok, so here is the main story if you have not already heard :

A man, last name O'Neal, is attacked at home. O'Neal is a black single father of daughters in an upscale neighborhood. A few intruders come into his home with masks on, threaten to rape his daughters if he does not give them his money. They take the $1500 he had in his wallet, and all of credit cards and all. They are screaming profanities at him, threatening the life of him and his daughters. They are being held at gun point. The intruders leave his home after they take his belongings, and Mr. O'Neal tells his daughters to lock the house and call 9-1-1. He runs to his SUV and chases down the criminals to get their tag number, since they were disquised and he knew he would not be able to discribe this to the police. While chasing down the criminals who threatened he and his family, and is shot at by the criminals...busting his windshield, and causing an accident (he ducked under the dash), and rammed them... Somehow in the middle of the accident one of the criminals leaves the vehicle after it is hit, and is ran over to my understanding by O'Neal.
Now some are saying O'Neal should be prosecuted for taking the law into his own hands. They are saying the rights of the thugs should be protected. They say that New Jersey law states that when he knew his life was threatened it was his duty as a citizen to retreat, not put himself into more possible harm. It is of course a fine line of self defense. Some say it was no longer self defense once O'Neal actually persued the criminals. Even though had he not pursued them, likely the criminals would have never been caught and his life would be in even more danger.
A man protects his family, and is now facing possible prosecution? Then there was one man, a police officer on MSNBC who was saying that racism played a role in this.. lol..which is funny since O'Neal was black, the criminals were black, and the cop claiming racism is black. Whatever!
Anyway, what do you all think about this? If New Jersey law does say this is illegal for O'Neal or anyone to pursue a criminal, do you think is an ok law? Forget the fact that someone was killed (according to O'Neal by accident), should it be illegal to pursue a criminal at all?

Have at it folks.

Chris