[AliceFromHouston]

Actually, if the kid had killed the burglar, he would not have been prosecuted. Florida has a "castle-doctrine" law, which means that you are allowed to use whatever force necessary to defend yourself and your family within your home. If that means you kill the bastard, oh well, he shouldn't have been there. Now, I'm not advocating going all out and shooting someone, or stabbing them and killing them, but I will use whatever I deem appropriate for the situation. It might be something as simple as picking up my suburito, or something as easy as getting the hell out of the house with my cell phone as I call the sheriff. But, if I'm cornered in my house, I have a .45 Automatic pistol that I keep at hand, as well as a 12-gauge pump shotgun. If I feel my life is in danger, I am legally released from liability if I shoot and kill the bastard.

Now, I wouldn't be using a wallhanger, either. My bokken is sufficient to kill someone, but then, if I can escape, then I do so. He can have the damned stereo, it's not that valuable that I can't replace it. But if he hurts my cats, all restraints come off.