Lesson 32: Claim self-defense.

If you use deadly force to protect yourself, you need to say so clearly. Without an affirmative self-defense claim, homicide detectives may treat your case as a murder investigation. In some jurisdictions, your claim triggers a duty to investigate the incident as a possible justified use of force. Claiming self-defense doesn’t guarantee you won’t be charged, but it helps frame the facts from your point of view and starts the investigation on the right footing.