Comment on "How does the legal concept of self-defense work?"

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
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So I’m more interested in the crime-drama aspect of the question “: if you do hurt or kill someone in self-defense, is there a process you should follow to report the incident to minimize suspicion and/or time in custody?”…

Obviously the common-sense practical answer is the one Cecil gave, but if everyone did that it wouldn’t make good TV :slight_smile: Its a main-stay of crime dramas of all sorts that some character kills another in self defence, but attempts to cover it up. Legally speaking what are the implications of this, other than the practical ones (i.e. its harder to convince police/juries it was self defence if they acted like they were guilty, and as you say its an “affirmative defense”)

Is there some specific law or facet of a law that applies to this situation, that wouldn’t if the character involved had 'fessed up immediately ?

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<mod>

Since Bricker wrote the column in question, this belongs in Comments on Staff Reports.

I’ll move it for you - and provide a link to the column in question.

</mod>

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Ahh sorry… I’d already realized my mistake and posted this to the other thread on the subject.

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I’ll go ahead and close this one.

Gfactor
General Questions Moderator