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In reply to the discussion: You cannot initiate the confrontation, start getting your ass kicked, and then decide to shoot..... [View all]no_hypocrisy
(54,906 posts)7. Since the "reasonable belief" that you were in danger of death or great bodily harm is really
subjective (despite the verbiage of "reasonable belief"
, if the fight was only witnessed by the two parties fighting, couldn't it be feasible that you start a fight, you start losing and getting your ass kicked, and just kill your victim because it was your "reasonable belief" you were going to die (but you never were in any reasonable danger)? Nobody else but you could insist that was your primary motivation.
And if you're the victim, that leaves you in a very vulnerable situation: let the aggressor beat the shit out of you or fight back and risk death.
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You cannot initiate the confrontation, start getting your ass kicked, and then decide to shoot..... [View all]
Logical
Jul 2013
OP
There's another thread today where the exact opposite is said to be justification, and vehemently.
maxsolomon
Jul 2013
#1
That's what this whole thing is about, the horrible law that makes murder legal.
Kablooie
Jul 2013
#5
"Reasonable" seems to have different values base on the races involved and court's locality.
Kablooie
Jul 2013
#24
If it's a "horrible" law, so is every single other state's law. They *all* say "reasonable".
sir pball
Jul 2013
#21
The traditional definition of civilian self-defense has a "duty to retreat" component.
Kablooie
Jul 2013
#38
Since the "reasonable belief" that you were in danger of death or great bodily harm is really
no_hypocrisy
Jul 2013
#7
if no one is around… you don't even have to "start losing". If it's just 2 people you can initiate a
KittyWampus
Jul 2013
#18
This is where it is hard to believe Zimmerman had a reasonable belief of him imminent death
treestar
Jul 2013
#22
"You cannot initiate the confrontation, start getting your ass kicked, and then decide to shoot.."
etherealtruth
Jul 2013
#4
May I assume your belief is that the law was designed to apply to a situation such as this?
etherealtruth
Jul 2013
#14
FWIW, I see that hidden post as predicting the future, not hoping for someone to die.
uppityperson
Jul 2013
#19
So you are advocating for the murder of another human being. You are a real class act. n/t
Lurks Often
Jul 2013
#16