Police: Nurse, 51, kills intruder with bare hands

[gldstwmn]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/08/nur....ap/index.html

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) -- A nurse returning from work discovered an intruder armed with a hammer in her home and strangled him with her bare hands, police said.

Susan Kuhnhausen, 51, ran to a neighbor's house after the confrontation Wednesday night. Police found the body of Edward Dalton Haffey 59, a convicted felon with a long police record.

Police said there was no obvious sign of forced entry at the house when Kuhnhausen, an emergency room nurse at Providence Portland Medical Center, got home from work shortly after 6 p.m.

Under Oregon law people can use reasonable deadly force when defending themselves against an intruder or burglar in their homes. Kuhnhausen was treated and released for minor injuries at Providence.

Haffey, about 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, had convictions including conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, robbery, drug charges and possession of burglary tools. Neighbors said Kuhnhausen's size -- 5-foot-7 and 260 pounds -- may have given her an advantage.

"Everyone that I've talked to says 'Hurray for Susan,' said neighbor Annie Warnock, who called 911.

"You didn't need to calm her. She's an emergency room nurse. She's used to dealing with crisis."

[sparky]

I want to pin a medal on this woman's ample chest.

Oregon has some great laws.

I remember growing up, everyone told us if someone broke in we had to kill them IN THE HOUSE. Not in the yard, not hangin out the window, but totally in the house. Go Oregon !

[Merf]

ER nurses? don't play.

[JazmenFlowers]

are we sure Paula didn't sneak over a few states?

no, seriously...that rocks.

[DavidMn]

Exactly! These turkey's have whats coming to them!

[sammigold]

Good on her!!

If we did that over here we would be in BIG trouble...

[JunkFoodGenius]

Penn Jillette had self defense as a topic of his show a while back and he talked about people who sue for injuries incurred while trying to rob a place. Someone called in and said something along the lines of if you are going into a profession that the law doesn't going to condone, you are going to have to accept certain consequences. Like having a nurse strangle you to death.

I'm pretty sure workers' compensation law doesn't cover felons in this regard...

[desertangel]

Lord Have Mercy... There's always something going on around here...

They showed this woman on the news. She was on a gurney being loaded into the ambulance with her hands over her face. Not sure if she was being camera shy or just in "shock." I would be in shock. And probably would have reacted to an intruder the same way. I don't take too kindly to people being in my house without permission.

[tynan88]

I dunno I'm mixed about this, if she was able to strangle him surely she must have been able to incapacitate him to a point where he didn't have to die.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by tynan88

I dunno I'm mixed about this, if she was able to strangle him surely she must have been able to incapacitate him to a point where he didn't have to die.

going back and reading and re-thinking this, I think the same thing.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by tynan88

I dunno I'm mixed about this, if she was able to strangle him surely she must have been able to incapacitate him to a point where he didn't have to die.

She wasn't performing a medical procedure, she was being attacked in her home.

[markolas]

Originally Posted by tynan88

I dunno I'm mixed about this, if she was able to strangle him surely she must have been able to incapacitate him to a point where he didn't have to die.

This thread is gonna go down in flames quick, methinks.

She did what she felt she had to do, but killing is always a non-virtue, and she will reap the karmic consequences of doing so. Even if it was the only thing to do, from the Buddhist POV, all beings have the Buddha-nature, and the killing of any living thing should never be celebrated.

[desertangel]

Yes'm... and that's what I figured was going through her mind as she laid there on the gurney with her hands over her face.

I have a little feeling there's more to the story.

[sparky]

I am sure, as she found an intruder in her home wielding a hammer, that she should have quickly surmised that the most important thing to do was to subdue him with his safety and well being in mind. Yup. That would be my first instinct. That should have been her priority. Make sure the armed, uninvited intruder and attacker was taken from her home alive and well. If possible he should be unharmed. And given cookies and tea.

What a crock. If that was her attitude, she'd be dead, and he'd likely be scot free. Anyone who thinks differently is likely to be a murder victim. The guy was an animal and got what he deserved. That woman did society a favor.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by sparky

And given cookies and tea.

were you raised in a barn? it's cookies and milk.

cookies and tea? yuck.