85-Year-Old Woman Found To Be Justified in Killing of Burglar

(RepublicanView.org) – An 85-year-old woman who shot a burglar in Idaho has been described as heroic. The incident occurred in March when an intruder woke Christine Jenneiahn from her sleep and demanded she hand over her valuables. The armed man ordered the woman downstairs and handcuffed her to a chair. When she told the burglar she didn’t have much money, he held a gun to her head, documents state.

While tied to a wooden chair, and while the intruder was distracted, the 85-year-old woman pulled herself toward the hiding place of her .357 magnum and concealed it under a cushion. The victim told officers she was unclear about what happened next but said the intruder continued to threaten her life as he ransacked her home. Deciding it was “now or never,” the woman pulled the gun from its hiding place. She and the alleged burglar, 39-year-old Derek Condon, reportedly exchanged fire. While she sustained multiple wounds, she survived, while Condon was shot twice and ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

In an incident review, Bingham County prosecutor Ryan Jolley described Ms. Jenneiahn’s actions as among the “most heroic acts of self-preservation” he had seen.

Following the review, the prosecutor determined that Jenneiahn had acted within the law. Documents also note that the victim’s disabled son was present during the incident and that the intruder hit Ms. Jenneiahn in the head. The injured victim waited on the floor of her home, still tied to the chair, for more than 10 hours after she shot and killed Condon. Her son eventually brought her a phone, and she called 911.

Local media reported that paramedics took Jenneiahn to the Eastern Idaho Medical Center in Idaho Falls, where she received treatment, was released, and is expected to recover fully. Mr. Jolley said he wished her well.

Idaho’s self-defense laws state that no person shall “be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind whatsoever for defending himself.” Last year, lawmakers expanded self-defense laws and now permit victims to display firearms as a means of self-preservation. The new legislation intended to empower Idahoans to protect themselves before employing deadly force.