Umm.... Yeah, not really.
Every use of force law that I've ever read includes an allusion to the "reasonable person" doctrine of determining when it's justified to pull the trigger. No self defense law is based upon what can be proved after the fact about the rightness or wrongness of what the intended victim thought about the perceived threat. The facts as-determined by scrutiny of the totality of the evidence after the fact is what's used, not simply one factoid of which direction the perpetrator was moving when the victim first pulled the trigger. Granted, if there is evidence of it not being a justified shoot, a jury or judge will be the "reasonable people" determining whether the threat perception was reasonable or not, but "running away" is in no way a black and white, unequivocal disqualifier for an intended victim to still reasonably feel threatened. There is no way for a victim of burglary or rape or assault to know whether moving away from them by the perpetrator is "truly running away."
The wording of the law is what counts, not the wording of the phrase. And several Castle Doctrine laws allow for the presumption of a threat in the case of burglary and other crimes. That presumption remains in force for the entire span of time that the crime is being committed, at least in AL, and I know for a fact that AL's CD law is not unique in that regard.
And when one states something as a "fact," they should be able to back it up with a cite. The relevant AL law to which I refer says:
The period being emphasized for what should be obvious reasons.
That's what you call a fact, Jack.
Blues
To poke a hole in just ONE of your reasons for using deadly physical force against someone who is running away:
Alabama Statute - First Degree Burglary
(a) A person commits the crime of burglary in the first degree if he or she knowingly and unlawfully enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling with intent to commit a crime therein, and, if, in effecting entry or while in dwelling or in immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant in the crime:
(1) Is armed with explosives; or
(2) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or
(3) In effecting entry, is armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or, while in the dwelling or immediate flight from the dwelling, uses or threatens the immediate use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against another person. The use of or threatened use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument does not include the mere acquisition of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument during the burglary.
(b) Burglary in the first degree is a Class A felony.
- See more at: ALA CODE § 13A-7-5 : Alabama Code - Section 13A-7-5: BURGLARY IN THE FIRST DEGREE
Second Degree Burglary
(a) A person commits the crime of burglary in the second degree if he or she knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building with intent to commit theft or a felony therein and, if in effecting entry or while in the building or in immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant in the crime:
(1) Is armed with explosives; or
(2) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or
(3) In effecting entry, is armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or, while in the building or in immediate flight from the building, uses or threatens the immediate use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against another person. The use of or threatened use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument does not include the mere acquisition of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument during the burglary.
(b) In the alternative to subsection (a) of this section, a person commits the crime of burglary in the second degree if he or she unlawfully enters a lawfully occupied dwelling-house with intent to commit a theft or a felony therein.
(c) Burglary in the second degree is a Class B felony.
- See more at: ALA CODE § 13A-7-6 : Alabama Code - Section 13A-7-6: BURGLARY IN THE SECOND DEGREE
Third Degree
(a) A person commits the crime of burglary in the third degree if he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building with intent to commit a crime therein.
(b) Burglary in the third degree is a Class C felony.
Please point out where any of these include "running away" as a type of burglary, and being able to use deadly force against someone who is running away.
And, don't throw the idea out again of "you don't know if someone is running away".
The discussion is about someone who is "running away". It's been stated and is known that the person is "running away", otherwise the term would not have been used.