What is the Make My Day law in Colorado?
Colorado’s “Make My Day” law (Section 18-1-704.5 of the state’s statues) protects a home occupant if he uses force, including deadly force, against an unlawful intruder.OriginThe “Make My Day” law was the first “castle doctrine” in the United States. Passed in 1985, it states that Colorado residents have the right to expect complete safety in their own homes. The name comes from a Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) line in the 1983 movie “Sudden Impact,” uttered as he points a gun at an aggressor’s head and dares him to give reason to shoot.DetailsThe “Make My Day” law can be invoked only in the case of a home break-in, and the force must be directly applied by the home’s occupants. The occupants must think a crime has been or will be committed in addition to the uninvited entry.Applied CaseThe law has been called upon only a handful of times since its enactment. In 1990, an 18-year-old was shot in the back of the head and killed while fleeing 69-year-old Francis Boutcher’s home. The “Make M
