The following was posted at a forum I go to. I've done the liberty of censoring profanity. Key parts bolded.
My reply to this was:
However, IIRC, there are several LEOs on this forum. What do you people think? Was he LEGALLY justified in getting out of his car and proceeding to beat his attacker? Or should he have reported it at the risk of his attacker getting away without being found?
Today I was driving in Manhattan, yep worse place to drive!! I'm stuck in freaking traffic, cause this Taxi guy stops in the dang middle of the street. Just double parked which is illegal. So I keep blowing my horn and he still doesn't go. So one of these pedestrians this tall guy tells me to stop which is none of his business. I still continue and he takes his fist and bangs on my window. I roll down my window and told him to shut the **** up so he reached in and punch my jaw and slammed his fist on the hood leaving a minor dent. I get out with my steering wheel club in my hand and repeatdilty bashed his face in and knocked him out with the club till he fell into the street. The police and ambulance arrived and I explained what happened. I never got into any trouble cause he attacked me first and I was defending myself. Even nearby witnesses agreed to what they saw. When he banged on my window I let it go. But once he popped me in the jaw it was it. Anyways I'm filing a lawsuit cause I got minor fractures done to my lower jaw bone after being in the hospital for the past 6 hours. Which is the reason I haven't been on all day. My jaw is in total pain. I know I'm a guy but I'm going to admit I did cry when I got home. I can't eat at all. Everything feels wierd. The doctor told me if he had hit it again he would of knocked it out of place and I would require surgery to fix it. Oh my god I'm going to sue the living hell out of him for my jaw and the dent in my hood. He has money too cause he works for UBS Bank in Manhattan. Anyways I swere I could of killed him but I didn't. I'm a good guy I mind my business and everything. But this guy had no right coming up to my car like that. I don't have a lawyer but my parents do and he was already contacted. I'm going to see how this goes the next few weeks.
REMEMBER WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. Watch he does that to the wrong person one day that ain't nice like I am and they will freaking blwo his brains out. People are crazy ya know. I actually feel sorry for him cause no one in this guys dang life ever taught him a lesson not to start trouble with people you don't know.
My reply to this was:
When he banged on my window I let it go.
I roll down my window and told him to shut the **** up
No, you obviously didn't. I don't think you'd have a good case in court (though you honestly might, given our crappy justice system), you antagonized the situation, and if his injuries are more severe than yours, you're going to be .ed in terms of ruling for self defense.
But, my Tang Soo Do instructor was a professional bodyguard, I'll run this by him and see if he thinks it'll hold as self defense. Getting out of the car and then proceeding to beat him is NOT defending yourself, it's getting revenge, which the court system frowns upon.
However, IIRC, there are several LEOs on this forum. What do you people think? Was he LEGALLY justified in getting out of his car and proceeding to beat his attacker? Or should he have reported it at the risk of his attacker getting away without being found?