[Carl in Tampa]

Originally Posted by buggyone

What word would you use for someone who has killed another person besides "killer"?

In my mind the unmodified term "killer" is a pejorative term. Perhaps someone with a less nuanced vocabulary would see it differently.

I would not apply the term to anyone who killed someone if that person was justified in the killing by virtue of doing so in the line of duty, such as law enforcement officers or military personnel.

The same would apply to someone cleared by a trial of criminal charges related to a homicide.

On a related subject, Zimmerman did not use the Stand Your Ground law as a defense at his trial. I believe the judge made reference to it in the jury instructions. If so, it would be because the judge thought it contributed to the elements of the case.


As a retired law enforcement officer, having served at both the local and federal levels, with an aggregate of almost forty years of experience, I support the law. "Shall issue" concealed weapons laws and the stand your ground laws have contributed to a safer public.