Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

can you claim self defense when a friend is getting hurt?

i have a friend who was getting beat up by a bouncer outside of a bar so i naturally tried to help help him. i was frightened for my friends saftey because he is a smaller guy and the bouncer was bragging earlier about being in the military. when i saw the bouncer punching my friend i hit the bouncer two or three times until he let go of my friend. i ended up getting a battery charge along with my friend and i want to know if i could claim any form of self defense.


Asked on 3/16/05, 1:44 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
JAY Nixon nixon law offices

Re: can you claim self defense when a friend is getting hurt?

Defense of others is just as lawful as self defense. However, in either situation, you must prove that you had no safe alternative to the fight (such as running away) and that you or the person being defended did not cause the problem in the first place. Self defense arguments are therefore rather unlikely to be successful. Discuss all this with your lawyer and get a lawyer if you don't yet have one. Good luck.

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Answered on 3/16/05, 2:59 pm


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