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Home poker game robbery results in murder charge... (1 Viewer)

Schmendr1ck said:
In Florida, home games are legal as long as they meet the definition of a "penny-ante" game.

Part of this definition is that no player may win more than $10 in a single game. So while social poker is technically allowed here, even the lowest stakes games are likely illegal.
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So you're not allowed to win more than $10 total on the night for it to be legal?!
 
CraigT78 said:
You shouldn't have any problems then!
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Football Sport GIF by FC Dynamo Moscow
 
I expect a homeowner defending himself/herself vs a robbery is going to be fine regarding the shooting. Even in states with more aggressive gun laws, you can generally defend yourself in your own home vs an intruder.

However, the police are coming to your house. There will be extensive interviews with everyone involved. The fact you were playing poker isn't going to stay secret. Depending on your local/state laws and how good/bad your relationship is with law enforcement, you may get some legal blowback about the game. The police might seize all the money. They might take the chips / table / cards and anything else related to poker. < shrug > The more money at stake, the higher the risk to the money.

Exacerbating factors matter. Drugs will turn this into a shit show. Criminal backgrounds also matter, especially the host or shooter. Common sense things really. Questionable things in your home will lead to more risk of trouble. It shouldn't be hard to figure out what sorts of issues will matter. Obviously, making life hard on the police is likely not to end well.

Be sure to seek legal assistance almost asap. Sure, call 911 first. But a call to your lawyer should happen soon thereafter. The police are neither your friend nor enemy. Say as little as possible, preferably only on advice of counsel. don't lie. Keep in mind the prize is keeping clear of legal trouble vis-a-vis the shooting. Anything poker related is relatively minor.

DrStrange

PS I considered a different sort of shooting. One where one player shoots another. Perhaps an accident. Perhaps a dispute over money or something else. This situation isn't going to go as smoothly as self-defense vs an armed robbery. I could see this type of killing / shooting turn into a disaster for the host. firearms, drinking / 420, gambling ----> what could go wrong? "We needed our guns for self-defense" vs prospective robbers. Wouldn't want to be that host.
 
DrStrange said:
I expect a homeowner defending himself/herself vs a robbery is going to be fine regarding the shooting. Even in states with more aggressive gun laws, you can generally defend yourself in your own home vs an intruder.

However, the police are coming to your house. There will be extensive interviews with everyone involved. The fact you were playing poker isn't going to stay secret. Depending on your local/state laws and how good/bad your relationship is with law enforcement, you may get some legal blowback about the game. The police might seize all the money. They might take the chips / table / cards and anything else related to poker. < shrug > The more money at stake, the higher the risk to the money.

Exacerbating factors matter. Drugs will turn this into a shit show. Criminal backgrounds also matter, especially the host or shooter. Common sense things really. Questionable things in your home will lead to more risk of trouble. It shouldn't be hard to figure out what sorts of issues will matter. Obviously, making life hard on the police is likely not to end well.

Be sure to seek legal assistance almost asap. Sure, call 911 first. But a call to your lawyer should happen soon thereafter. The police are neither your friend nor enemy. Say as little as possible, preferably only on advice of counsel. don't lie. Keep in mind the prize is keeping clear of legal trouble vis-a-vis the shooting. Anything poker related is relatively minor.

DrStrange

PS I considered a different sort of shooting. One where one player shoots another. Perhaps an accident. Perhaps a dispute over money or something else. This situation isn't going to go as smoothly as self-defense vs an armed robbery. I could see this type of killing / shooting turn into a disaster for the host. firearms, drinking / 420, gambling ----> what could go wrong? "We needed our guns for self-defense" vs prospective robbers. Wouldn't want to be that host.
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Party pooper.
 
To all the hosts who primarily use Venmo:

Have people received 1099s from Venmo?

A couple hundred bucks “for pizza” is one thing but thousands or more in the course of a year.
 
DirtyTIVA said:
To all the hosts who primarily use Venmo:

Have people received 1099s from Venmo?

A couple hundred bucks “for pizza” is one thing but thousands or more in the course of a year.
Click to expand...
Almost certain friends and family transactions and no biz transfers won’t ever be 1099 even when laws r changed
 
doublebooyah85 said:
View attachment 1328081Also contact your state senators and send an email. I did and got a reply maybe 2-3 months later.
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My state doesn’t give a F about me. I’m not diverse/lgbtqxz enough. They’re also too busy trying to calculate “reparations” on a Fisher Price calculator and jack me of more of my income.
 
He did say it was a dumb question tbf...move to England! The shipping costs are a bit hard to take but at least you can host a home game without the threat of gun toting meth-heads or the taxman raiding it.
 
terpfan007 said:
So you're not allowed to win more than $10 total on the night for it to be legal?!
Click to expand...

The Florida Statutes say this:
“Penny-ante game” means a game or series of games of poker, pinochle, bridge, rummy, canasta, hearts, dominoes, or mah-jongg in which the winnings of any player in a single round, hand, or game do not exceed $10 in value.
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IANAL and don't know how this might be interpreted in court. Even the most lenient interpretation ($10 max profit per hand in a cash game) would be easy to exceed in a .05/.10 game.

There are other restrictions too: 18+, must be in a home/dwelling, no advertising, no rake, etc. The specifics are here.
 
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JP1984 said:
He did say it was a dumb question tbf...move to England! The shipping costs are a bit hard to take but at least you can host a home game without the threat of gun toting meth-heads or the taxman raiding it.
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Sorry, I laughed at this, imagining the taxman not taking his share of anything over there.
I mean they wrote a song about it, it was so bad over there.
 
None of the details ever surfaced. But I'm 100% gonna suggest that it wasn't so much Poker related as it is the robber probably said something about the victim's hockey team. At that point, it was for keeps.
"Keep the money but apologize for calling the Senators a shit team Or I'll fucking kill you!"


...something like that.
 

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