VIDEO : Can I Defend Myself Against Minors ?

Watch carefully as Hermosa Beach Police Chief Landon Phillips explains your rights as an adult to defend yourself against minors. Click the video below, to watch as he describes your right to self-defense at the recent Public Safety Forum

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General Self-Defense Principles:

• California law allows you to use reasonable force to defend yourself against imminent harm, regardless of the attacker's age. The right to self-defense doesn't disappear simply because your attacker is under 18.
• The force used must be proportional to the threat faced. You can only use the amount of force that a reasonable person would believe is necessary to prevent imminent harm.
• California has no general "duty to retreat" in most situations. You can stand your ground if you're in a place you have a legal right to be and are not the initial aggressor.

Special Considerations with Minor Attackers:

• The "reasonableness" standard still applies, meaning courts will consider whether your response was appropriate given the totality of circumstances, including the minor's age, size, and apparent capability to cause harm.
• You're expected to use the minimum force necessary. If you can safely stop a threat from a smaller or younger child without significant force, using excessive force could lead to criminal charges.
• Your knowledge that the attacker is a minor may factor into what's considered "reasonable" - for example, using deadly force against a young child would almost never be justified unless facing an extremely unusual threat.

Legal Consequences:

• Even if criminal charges aren't filed, you could still face civil liability if your use of force is deemed excessive.