A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect the actor from what?

• A. The other’s use of or attempted use of unlawful deadly force
• B. To protect property
• C. Verbal provocation
• D. To detain a suspect

Answer: (A)

Self-defense allows you to use deadly force only when you reasonably believe it is immediately necessary to stop the other person’s unlawful deadly force against you or someone else. That exact idea—protecting yourself from the other person’s use or attempted use of unlawful deadly force—is why this choice is correct. Deadly force isn’t justified just to protect property, respond to verbal provocation, or detain a suspect; those scenarios don’t involve an imminent, unlawful threat of serious harm, which is the key condition for using deadly force.