West Virginia supports Self-Defense for Employees

KMaurer

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David Kopel notes a recent West Virginia Supreme Court case (Feliciano v. 7-Eleven) in which the court upheld a suit by an employee who was fired after she used her gun to defend successfully against an armed robber.

The court cited numerous precedents showing that the right of self-defense is very well-established and substantial public policy. Accordingly:
we hold that when an at will employee has been discharged from his/her employment based upon his/her exercise of self-defense in response to lethal imminent danger, such right of self-defense constitutes a substantial public policy exception to the at will employment doctrine and will sustain a cause of action for wrongful discharge.

Any one want to opine on the odds of a Massachusetts court taking a similar view? (File than one under joke for the week.)

Ken
 
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