Hypothetical Discussion

[Oldgringo]

Because we have to work?

Good answer and thanks for your contribution to our SS. If you could pick up the pace a little bit, the geezers among you would be most obliged.

[ELB]

...
So, say I'm carrying and some dude jumps me ...

When some dude jumps you, your notfiction of the event may be a brick to your head, especially if he is smaller than you. If you are knocked out, game over, but if you manage to still be conscious, you may find yourself three goals down before you even get back into the game. I would certainly count that as a "disparity of force" situation that requires whatever I can do to get out of it and sort out the legal stuff later...

[eureka40]

Here is what Massad Ayoob has to say about it. This is a multi part video series that is well worth watching.

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[jocat54]

Well in my humble opinion--first there is no such thing as a fair fight(cheat all you can), if some dude is attacking me with or without a weapon I will shoot him if possible, it only takes one punch to end your life. Much better to be alive and face the consequences than dead and your family attending your funeral. Before I got old I was pretty good size-6'3" 225lbs. and there was still no such thing as a fair fight.

Just my 2 cents worth and if you paid 2cents you over paid.

[karder]

Lots of good responses. Bottom line is you are not obligated to get into a physical confrontation with someone regardless of size difference. If you are confronted and do everything you can to be calm, get away from the person, and leave the area, but the aggressor persists and physically attacks you, you are in the right to defend yourself with a weapon, regardless of your size. If I were on a jury, I would be looking to see if both parties were mutual combatants prior to the violence.
Where you have to be careful is in the pre-fight exchange. If a guy is trash talking, and you are trash talking back, you both are throwing the bird and being nasty, he walks over and pops you in the jaw and you shoot him, you may have a problem. My uneducated opinion is that everyone, particularly bigger guys, need to make a clear effort to avoid the confrontation before shooting. A smaller person, I would believe, probably has more leeway. If you are trying to get away and a little guy attempts to attack you physically, I believe you are justified to stop him. Just my two cents, others may disagree.

[wrinkles]

Just because you don't see a weapon it doesn't mean there is not one. I saw this "fist fight" escalate into a stabbing in a split second. I didn't even realize the other guy had been stabbed until the guy stabbed back up grabbed his left side. The guy with the knife stepped back threw the knife to the side under a car I was standing by and walked off. It all happened in less that 10 seconds. The actual punching and stabbing happened in less that 5.