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Question about legality of self protection during a riot?

In movies and sometimes true life cop shows you see a crowd rioting and occasionally they attack a motorist that unawares end up to close to the scene. For instance the new "war of the worlds" etc.

In real life not in any apocoliptic movie where the law is thrown out and it's armagedon and chaos anyways....

If a crowd attacks you in a car, basically swarming it, are you allowed to plow through them to ensure your own safety?

If so at what point are you allowed to use deadly force? if they are just slapping the car and shouting, say it's a political rally and you have no idea if it will turn violent or not? or do they have to do something more violent before you have a legal right to hit the gas and get out of there no matter who is in the way?

Every state of course has their own set of laws. Any references would be helpfull as well. This isn't for a report or anything I'm just curious.

3 Answers

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  • Kevin
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    If someone found themselves in a situation like that, and caused harm to someone: It would inevitably be decided by a Grand Jury. In most cases when someone takes someone else's life, presumably in self defense, the Prosecutor (at least in my area) will present the circumstances to a Grand Jury and let them decide if the actions were justified. This is also done in cases of Officer Involved shootings.

    So the question really is, when 12 citizens look back later on what happened; will they decide the actions were appropriate and justified. That question can't really be answered until it happens.

    Source(s): Police Officer, 10 years
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    If you are stupid enough to get in front of a 2000 pound piece of steel with an engine and a nervous person behind the wheel. Than i would guess you are perfectly stupid enough to die as the treads pass over your limp little body. Whether it is legal or not depends on how much government is left and if it is just a small eruption or total anarchy.

  • 1 decade ago

    I suggest you apply the Bush Doctrine of anticipatory defense. Whenever you feel paranoid or threatened, even if irrationally so, you should murderously strike out at whoever you feel threatened by.

  • 1 decade ago

    personaly i would kill everyone of them and come back for rest .untill i squashed every one of them

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