BC Judge Rules Removing an Unwelcome Guest Can Be Justified as Self-Defence

The Law Courts building, home to the B.C. Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, in Vancouver on Nov. 23, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl DyckSelf-defence rules permitting individuals to arm themselves against an intruder may also apply in circumstances where a person refuses to leave the homeowner’s property after being asked to do so, a B.C. Supreme Court judge says.The decision published this week played a key role in the July jury acquittal of a B.C. man who was charged with manslaughter after he accidentally stabbed and killed his brother who had become an unwanted visitor in his home on the Ditidaht First Nation on Vancouver Island. Michael Edgar was found not guilty on July 24 after a 10-day trial.