Questions tagged [self-defense]
Legal allowance to use force to protect one's self. May encompass rights to use force to protect one's property or the person or property of others.
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Can you use deadly force in self defense when you could likely appease the attacker by deleting a video of a crime they committed?
John commits a non-violent crime against Jane.
Jane recorded the crime.
John threatens to kill Jane if she doesn't delete the video.
Can Jane legally use deadly force against John?
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Can this be considered to be self-defense under U.S. laws (graphic video)?
The video is graphic.
The store owner stabs a robber multiple times when his life wasn't threatened. Can this open him to criminal and civil lawsuits?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCu4G_ZkBI0
I don'...
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Do people committing crimes against property have the right to self-defense against deadly force?
John is stealing from James, and James threatens to shoot John. Since it is not legal to use deadly force in defense of property, can John now legally use deadly force to defend himself against John?
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Would a robot controlled by sentient AI have a right to self-defense?
If someone built a robot controlled by a sentient AI that had a will to live, could the robot use force to defend itself against a person trying to harm (or unplug) it?
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Are hard knuckle gloves illegal in King County, Washington state?
I have researched Washington state laws regarding hard knuckle gloves and I can't find any. I have found prohibitions on "metal gloves" which are not the same as a plastic hard knuckle glove,...
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Is it true that a teacher can't engage/attack a shooter from behind during a school shooting that is in progress?
I have a cousin who is a teacher and a few years ago we had a long discussion about school shootings and part of this discussion was about what teachers can and cannot do during a school shooting that ...
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Does self-defense apply against someone acting lawfully?
Expounding on this question, if one shoots someone, does the lawfulness of that other person's actions preclude a self-defense argument? Suppose Alice is a cop in a shootout with Bob. Chuck is behind ...
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Physical response to threatening behavior - still self-defense?
Assuming the following scenario: "I" asked a visitor to my home to return an item they had borrowed some time earlier. In response, they got angry and crowded me into a corner, acting very ...
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Can I use lethal force to protect myself and others from an on duty officer if he or she starts shooting up the location?
I know that in Colorado we have the castle law for self defense which allows people to protect themselves with lethal force on or inside their property as long as they believe their life and family ...
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Self defense in Spain
What are Spain's laws regarding self defense? Does Spain have the equivalent of "Stand your ground," or "Duty to retreat?"
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While stopping an active shooter, if I accidentally shoot a bystander, could I be held criminally and/or civilly liable?
The question pretty much covers it, but I will elaborate. Let's imagine I am in a public place, such as a mall, or some other large gathering of people, when I hear gunshots ring out. Let's say that I ...
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Is it okay to push someone off your property if you've told them to leave but still didn't. Germany
I was in a fight with an apartment mate of mine. I have told her to leave my room after she took the remote and turned off my tv, but she did not leave. So I pushed her out of my room, she then ...
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Is it legal to steal a car to save your life when your life is in danger?
Person A is bein chased by person B who is carrying a knife. Person A has good reason to believe that if person B catches him, his life will be in danger. As person A runs away, he sees a convertible ...
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Not guilty defense nomenclature
A Deputy fired after putting knee on Black man's neck.. The news article reports:
A relative of the man was arrested when she tried to intervene,
according to the news report.
Let us assume that ...
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Is it legal to chase and/or kill someone stealing from you and under what circumstances?
I read a 9gag post
https://9gag.com/gag/agg5vog?fbclid=IwAR2W7lreLR1v1_aigUTliHTlXIQGt1UteyRPKzuAcmCkCiJToxScsTFLFRU
Most comments are like, the thief got what it deserves.
The law may not agree.
In ...
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What right of self defence do you have against a police dog?
It is in the news that an Uber driver was mauled by a police dog despite not initiating violence or attempting to avoid arrest. He has suffered life changing injuries. It seems the self defense ...
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Can a booby trap be used to stop an active shooter?
I am wondering if it is legal to set up a booby trap to stop an active shooter.
For example, say that there is an active shooter inside a factory and a worker there places something heavy like an ...
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In France, what are the legal implications of using a shooting sport firearm for self-defense at home?
As some of you may be aware, when you subscribe to the French Shooting Federation to shoot for sport and do the required legal paperwork, you can acquire a firearm for the sole purpose of practicing ...
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When can one come to the defense of an aggressor?
Person A witnesses Person B starting an assault on Person C.
Person C defends themself, effectively.
Assuming that Person B never "backs down," attempts to surrender, or to flee, at what ...
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Ahmaud Arbery trial - what if they had witnessed him commit a crime?
In the Ahmaud Arbery trial, they tried to do a citizens arrest on him when they had no proof he had committed any crime. So, they couldn't claim self defense. This is logical. But what if they had ...
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Is Kyle Rittenhouse "out of the woods" or could he face Federal charges?
Kyle Rittenhouse has been found not guilty of Wisconsin state criminal charges. Is there any federal law that he violated?
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When gun used to kill in self defense and the gun is taken as evidence, can you get it back?
Scenario:
John Doe uses a gun to kill a criminal in self defense. That gun, the one used, is taken as evidence by law enforcement so it can be investigated and/or used trial or for whatever reasons ...
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Is mutual self defense a thing? [duplicate]
Given very similar facts to the Rittenhouse case, but where the other guy shoots first, could that guy as a defendant claim self defense and win?
Imagine two sides in a conflict which hasn’t resulted ...
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How long does provocation remain relevant in physical crimes?
In the Rittenhouse case, the prosecution ended up going with "provocation" as being at the core of their argument as to why they believe Rittenhouse "provoked" Rosenbaum into ...
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Cases where both parties acted in self-defence (legally)?
I'm very interested in exploring potential cases where two opposing parties were potentially/actually charged with assault, but both were found to be acting in self-defence. (Obviously there are ...
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What standard of evidence must be met for afffirmative defenses, and for exceptions to affirmative defenses?
In the ongoing Rittenhouse trial, my understanding is that the defense is raising an affirmative defense of self-defense (i.e., ceding that Rittenhouse killed Rosenbaum and Huber, and attempted to ...
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May I bring weapons and/or defend myself when trespassing for a legal reason?
Let's say I have to trespass for a legal reason, e.g. a court order allows me to retrieve property.
Am I allowed to defend myself while trespassing? Can I bring weapons or whatever is needed to defend ...
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Can a person doing criminal activity claim self defense if the criminal activity has nothing to do with why he is attacked? [duplicate]
Basically what Kyle Rittenhouse did is clearly self defense.
However, he is carrying a gun against the law. So he cannot claim self defense.
Is this true?
The reason I ask is I thought that the ...
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Gun combat with mutual intent to hit/kill offers unimpeachable self-defense defense?
I'm curious what explains a number of decisions to abandon all prosecutions in mass gunfights in the USA, e.g. Waco 2015.
While "mutual combat" has been sometimes used to describe these ...
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Carrying pepper spray while hiking illegal in Japan?
I'm hiking a lot in Japan. Japan has, next to other animals, lots of black (everywhere) and brown bears (in the north).
Needless to say, I'd like to protect myself. Pepper sprays have been proven to ...
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Ahmaud Arbery defendants invoke Georgia State Law as a Defense in Federal Court
It is my understanding that three defendants face a Federal hate crime involving the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery.
In April 2021, all three men were indicted on federal charges of one
count each ...
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Castle Doctrine as it applies to unruly Guests
If you have a guest at your house in Texas, United States that has started acting in an unpredictable and threatening way that will not leave, does the castle doctrine apply in getting them to leave? ...
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Can a person defend himself after breaking into a home?
Can a person defend himself after breaking into a home? Can a home invader stab a person as self-defense after breaking into that person's home, or can a home invader action can never be construed as ...
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How is the "reasonable force" requirement applied to fights that end up in a grapple?
In the England and Wales ones right to respond to attacks is limited to what is considered "reasonable force". The CPS sum up with a quote from Palmer v R, [1971] AC 814:
It is both good ...
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How accountable are dog owners for their animals' actions?
I realise that if I forget that the garage door is open and my dog gets out and bites someone I'm in big trouble. What would be the case if I'm sleeping in my house and someone breaks in and my dog ...
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Can awareness of other crimes be used as part of a self-defense argument?
Daniel Perry shot and killed Garrett Foster at a protest/riot last year. What is not disputed is that Foster approached the window of Perry's car with a rifle, when Perry shot him. Could Perry's ...
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Why is it necessary for a belief of imminent deadly force to be subjectively reasonable?
I've recently come across this video by Attorney Tommy John Kherkher regarding the subject of using deadly force in self defense. In his video, he presented a checklist of things which are required ...
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What is a legal response if police illegally try to enter your home?
Say the police turn up at your house with a search warrant. They show it to you, and it is more than 3 months old and so invalid, and therefore does not give them the right to enter your house. You ...
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What crime is hiring someone to kill you and then killing the hitman?
Suppose that yesterday I was suicidal and decided to hire a hitman on the internet to kill me.
Today, when they turn up, I have changed my mind and defend myself by killing the hitman.
What crime(s) ...
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Is it illegal to carry an improvised pepper spray in the UK?
Civilian possession of pepper spray is banned in the UK, due to its use in self-defence.
There are, of course, many household items that can have a similar purpose. While not nearly as effective, no ...
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Make my Day... in the office?
Assume Adam, Esquire, is working in Colorado. He has an office different from his home. Let's say Downtown in a sleepy town that has no extra gun control laws. It's 3 AM and he is working on the ...
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Harming third party in self defence
I recently watched a German crime series and there was the following situation:
Kidnapper kidnaps several hostages
Hostage A wants to break free
Hostage B joins them (voluntarily)
Near the exit they ...
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Does self defense apply if you bait the person?
Here's the situation. There's a disagreement between two individuals, Bob and Dave. Bob decides to get a gun, and then proceeds to taunt Dave. Dave becomes angry starts yelling, Dave intends to kill ...
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What is an appropriate level of self defense for non-immediate but still dangerous attacks?
While browsing Reddit I came across a video where a person purposefully coughs on another person in an elevator, and then gets forcibly removed from the space.
After watching I wasn't sure if the ...
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In Florida, can a home defense weapon and use of "Castle Doctrine" (deadly force) transfer to a house of a friend that I visit?
Suppose I am entitled to use a weapon for home defense in the state of Florida. If I visit a friend for say 1 week, would the Castle Doctrine apply if an uninvited intruder entered the house of my ...
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If a person is dressed up as non-human, and is killed by someone who sincerely believes the victim was not human, who is responsible?
I've seen several videos about pranks when someone dresses up as a zombie or other kind of monster, to scare people. I would assume that if such an actor dressed up as a monster suddenly attacks ...
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Is it legal to hack a hacker back (in the US)?
I was wondering if it's legal to do what most people call a "hack back." Suppose someone tricked you into downloading software onto your computer that was designed to steal your data, but it ...
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Where is the line between assault and self defense?
Suppose that someone of whom one is not fond walks up to you while you are having a conversation with another and stands quite too close for comfort and you ask them to get out of your personal space. ...
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Do police have special protection in shootings, related to Breonna Taylor
I know this is a hot button issue. I was reading about self defense with a firearm and found the general rule that a person that instigates a fight cannot use a self defense argument when using deadly ...
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I want to know if i have the right to push someone if they slapped me in self defense
I have a question, about 3 or 4 months ago, i was just outside chilling with some of my friends and then some girl came and slapped me, all i did was push her back in self defense. I just want to know ...
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