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Originally Posted by JohnKsa
Seems like only one of these things can be true at a time.
Either getting hit isn't that serious and therefore deadly force isn't justified or it can cause serious injury or death in which case deadly force, by definition, would be justified if the defender can't get away or physically stop the person from attacking.
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Problem is that it's very seldom black and white.
And that's where the whole "reasonable action" and judgement by a jury of your peers comes into play.
Trapped in a corner of a room by an arthritic, 80 pound, 90 year old flailing at you who can barely move their arms or legs and is threatening to beat you to death because they don't like the color of their Jello or don't want to wear their pants? Happens to my daughter almost every day (nursing home supervisor), and she hasn't had to resort to deadly force yet. Laugh at them, gently hold their arms and restrain them and move them aside, no deadly force justified.
Trapped in a corner by a 300 pound known serial killer famous for beating his victims to death with his bare hands who is moving in for his first punch? Should be a no-brainer about what you do there.
It's all those situations in the middle of the two extremes that cause all the problems in what decision you make.