It isn't murder ...

[Richard]

No: HPFGUIDX 82172

Richard here ...

I'm getting a bit tired of all the talk of murder, round here, at 
least to the extent that so many seem to have decided that Harry must 
be a murderer if he kills Voldemort.  Well, even if Harry is worried 
about becoming a murderer, I'm not all that concerned that he will be 
one at all.  Why?  Voldemort has tried to kill him repeatedly, and is 
still intent upon accomplishing that end.  If someone attacks you 
with the intent of killing you, and you happen to kill your attacker, 
it is self defense, which is considered legally and (for most) 
ethically justifiable, NOT MURDER.  Murder is a legal term dealing 
with certain classes of wrongful killing of another human being.  
There are other legal terms besides murder and justifiable 
homicide ... like manslaughter.  So, given the range of legal and 
ethical options for the killing of another person, and the fact that 
Voldemort is still actively plotting the demise of Harry, I have a 
hard time seeing the final event ending up as murder if it is 
Voldemort who is dead, regardless of Harry's condition after that 
event.



Richard, who is tired of misplaced and misused legal and ethical 
terminology