First Off- Mav, Good job handling this. it's clear to me by your description that you kept your cool during this assault...and to be honest, from what little I know of you, I'm not all that surprised.


Well, lets drop any assumptions we might make here about the proper response to an assault like this and look at what the law says.

From what I read here, http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.16.110,

"1) No person in the state shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind whatsoever for protecting by any reasonable means necessary, himself or herself, his or her family, or his or her real or personal property, or for coming to the aid of another who is in imminent danger of or the victim of assault, robbery, kidnapping, arson, burglary, rape, murder, or any other violent crime as defined in RCW 9.94A.030."

This is the only RCW I can find that speaks to Self Defense, does anyone know of any different provisions?

edit, there is also this provision- Use of force, when lawful: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.16.020

and the section which applies here: " (3) Whenever used by a party about to be injured, or by another lawfully aiding him or her, in preventing or attempting to prevent an offense against his or her person, or a malicious trespass, or other malicious interference with real or personal property lawfully in his or her possession, in case the force is not more than is necessary;
"


If this is all that there is in the RCW's relating to self defense, it seems pretty clear to me that "Any reasonable means necessary" means you must respond with force equal to what is being inflicted upon you. But who's to say things wouldn't get any worse?

Speaking figuratively....if someone grabs a Knife, are you supposed to only respond with a knife?
Well, hell no.... That's totally unreasonable.
Where in the law does it specifically state, if it does...that you cannot use overpowering force while defending oneself?