out.
Miller and Kane really have been there and done that; it’s not a fun place to be. When your entire livelihood and future depends on the whim of twelve people that weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty, needless to say it causes a little stress! Every lawyer who deals in self-defense cases needs to read this book. It may help them keep their client out of prison, so buy another copy and send it to an attorney too!
Let me give you a few more reasons to really study and pay attention to what Miller and Kane are trying to get across to you. I don’t get sick anymore. Funny reason, huh? The smell of fresh-spilt intestines doesn’t bother me. Neither does trying to hold them in place while their owner writhes around, screaming. All because he mouthed off to the wrong Mexican, who didn’t play by middle-class white boy rules. The smell of someone’s brain’s laying on the ground doesn’t faze me either; funny I think they smell like Ivory soap. Sick, I know, but they really do!
There are a lot worse out there than me and they don’t care what “Über-ninja badass martial art” you practice. They don’t care where you study, what you know, or who you are. They will split your gut open from your balls to your brisket without blinking an eye. And you will never see it coming.
I really think that’s what Miller and Kane are trying to get across to you in this book; it’s not always what it appears to be. The key word is “it.” It is the ideas that you have formed from television, movies, the internet, and other media. It is the miscomprehensions and false sense of reality that come from training and studying under someone who doesn’t understand the facts himself. And in most cases doesn’t even know it.
I remember a case in Dallas several years ago where a woman was attacked by her husband. She had been studying Krav Maga. And she was the one to go to the penitentiary for attempted murder. Why you ask? After her husband was down, she proceeded to stomp him in the testicles and head, even after he was unconscious. This is what her teacher had trained her to do. Well, sorry but after he was no longer a threat, he became the victim. It’s that easy to screw up and ruin your life in a matter of moments.
Like I said before, don’t just read this book, but study it. Learn it and apply the ideas and principles taught to your martial arts training or self-defense portfolio. If you still think it’s really not that important, you need to pay close attention to my last few statements.
If and, I hope not when, you get into an altercation with another individual, then every aspect of your life will be on trial. Every statement or post on your social networking site. Every martial arts/self-defense class you have ever taken. Everything you have ever done will be scrutinized and examined by the District/Prosecuting Attorney. It can and will be used against you in ways that you never thought possible. If by some chance, you are found not-guilty, then be prepared for the lawyers in the civil case that is coming to play even dirtier than the D.A. Your character, reputation, family history, everything about you and yours, will be on display for the jury and world to see. Think it is a joke? Talk to someone that has been through it and you will find out just how bad it can be.
FOREWORD—RON BISHOP
Ron Bishop has been in Law Enforcement/Corrections for the past 27 years. He is an established and recognized expert in police/corrections use of force, deadly force, and logistical operations. Ron has served as a command level officer with his agency for the past 15 years, advising and establishing policy and practices. He has testified in both Federal and State level cases involving force and operational issues. Ron is a graduate of the National Institute of Corrections Leadership and Executive programs and holds the highest level of certifications in the State of Oregon. He is an active Freemason. Ron resides in the State of Washington with his wife and two daughters.
Those who just put this book down are risking everything, maybe even their freedom.
When violence comes to you, will you survive? I would bet that several who just read that question replied “Yes.”
Let me pose a question to you: Have you ever considered that your training can be used against you? I am not speaking about a physical altercation but in a court of law.
How would you respond when asked by plaintiff’s counsel, “You have martial arts training, correct?”
And you say, “Yes.”
Then you are asked, “Your training covers various techniques ranging from simple moves all the way to complex moves that can cause significant injury, correct?”
And you respond, “Well it’s more than that.”
And then the golden question is brought to you: “You are taught control in class, correct? To strike without hurting. Correct?”
You just look at the attorney like a deer in the headlights not wanting to be there. Now he goes for your throat, turns to the jury and asks, “Why would anyone with your skill and training need to use so much force on a person like my client who does not have this same training?”
Just get out your checkbook because it’s going to be a poor day for you.
Does that really happen? I will tell you, yes. It does. Having been involved in a fight that lasted over six minutes with extreme violence and ended with deadly results, I was asked similar questions. My vast law enforcement training ranging from communication training to physical defensive tactics were analyzed by the plaintiff’s counsel. The incident I was involved in resulted in no criminal indictments but an out-of-court cash settlement due to evidence that the federal judge disallowed.
The Sheriff said, “You used your knowledge and training to control a horribly out-of-control inmate. The settlement was about our chances in court.”
We survived criminal liability by being reviewed (testifying) in front of a grand jury. We survived civil liability because we acted within the scope of our jobs, we did not overreact, and we followed the law. The civil settlement still bothers me today because we did nothing wrong and used our training.
There are three golden rules that are the mantra in most law-enforcement training classes when dealing with use of force situations:
• Go home safe.
• The bad guy goes/stays in jail.
• Liability free.
As a training officer, I have said these rules. As a student of Rory Miller, I have heard these rules in almost every class. In this book, Miller and Kane will teach you how to respond in a manner that may increase your chances of surviving a multitude of situations.
Have you ever considered the potential limitations of your martial arts or self-defense training? In no manner am I suggesting that martial arts training or self-defense classes are bad. I am cautioning that an important element may be missing in your training. This book aids the reader in developing potential knowledge to close that gap.
In the classes that I have instructed or in the review process when conferring with attorneys, I ask the question: “Is every use of force situation the same?” The answer is no. Force situations are like games of chess; no two are alike unless reenacted. There are so many variables to consider when responding to a situation.
Before we go further, let me pose a question: Is controlled training (studio) the same as a necessary response in an uncontrolled
