Any time, any place

[trex1310]

Many years ago a brother of a friend [lived in Ala.] overheard someone badmouthing his wife. Being the hothead/tough guy, he approached the loudmouth with clenched fists. The loundmouth pulled a gun and killed the tough guy. It was ruled justified. The loudmouth feared for his life!
In Michigan, one has to have a reasonable fear of great bodily harm, death or rape to justifiy shooting. To say fists aren't leathal weapons is , in my opinion, wrong. In nine years of karate I've met people who could probably kill someone faster with their hands than with a firearm.
Even though I'm guilty of not carring all the time, I do believe if you have it you should carry it. It is impossible to tell when the gun will be needed or not.
There I've said my piece wether it makes a contribution to the conversation or not is up to others to decide.

I am in no way taking sides one way or another. One thing I would like
to point out is that a large portion of Alabama counties are still rural
for the most part and everybody knows or is related to everybody else.

So, it isn't out of the realm of imagination that this guy wasn't
prosecuted. Also, if you're on your own property and fear for your life
you can legally use deadly force.

 

[Sleuth]

You asked for some alternative actions, here are some for your consideration, worth exactly what you paid for them:

Back up, loudly yelling "Stop, leave me alone! Go Away!" You would be suprised how many people may be about even at 12:30 AM.
(I have done this twice now, - worked both times.)

or,

Agree with the jerk while backing up - I really don't care if someone, or lots of someones, think I am a coward, if I can avoid shooting someone. Plus, I have seen that agreeing with someone who is trying to start a confrontation just thows them completly off - they don't know what else to say.

or.

Just turn and run as fast as you can. If he chases you, this builds a case for "fear of my life".

Thinking and acting outside of the box can create time and space for other options to appear.

I once had a well know actor ask my opinion of what to do if a guy in a bar challenged him (he travels with a bodyguard). My question to him was:
"How important is it to you that some drunk in a bar in Tucson claims he ran you out? There are LOTS of other bars."

(This is a farly common occurance for him, as he has played several "tough guy" roles. He actually was an Army Ranger between Korea & Viet Nam, but the issue is the lawsuit and noteriety that would follow a "barroom brawl."

 

[armoredman]

That depends, Sleuth, is it the Bashful Bandit or Tens?

My movie line generator went into motion when the OP said the would be assailant began calling him cowardly and a weakling...

"Yeah, you're right, I am a weak coward. I'm also not going to get my butt kicked tonight."

Thankfully I live in Arizona, where we have a law called Defensive Display, which specifically states what he did, even up to drawing to a low ready, is 100% legal when threatened with physical force. With the legal disparity of force of size and training, using only the facts as given, it wouldn't be too hard to upgrade the threat to Deadly Physical Force.

Of course, I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV.

Sounds like your man played it well.

 

[Old Wanderer]

I for one think your friend did the right thing. Correct me if I am wrong, but Wyoming now allows CC however it has for a long time been legal to Open Carry.

All your friend did in essence was to switch from CC to OC. Both absolutely legal.

As you state, you never know when you might need it. I still clearly remember my stupidly when I flew down to So Cal to date some sweet young thing I met in Reno. She had told me about her possessive X-boyfriend and how afraid of him she was. I had one of those rare CA CWP, but had left my 45 at my friends house on the beach, and drove over to taker to dinner, few drinks and them probably back to his place. As soon as I pulled up in front, she came out the front door and told me she couldn't go out with me. I saw somebody peak around the corner of the building and asked her if it was her X...told her I would give him an attitude adjustment and started walking over to the home, BANG, and a shot goes by me...I took off at a run straight at him...he ran down a back alley. It took about 30 yards for the brain to engage and realize this was stupid. Me with a bad attitude and him with a gun that he had already fired at me.

I was furious, drove back to the beach grabbed my gun, a couple extra mags, and the people in the living room stopped me long enough to hear what happened, then started laughing at me, thinking he would wait for it to be a fair fight...Never went back to date the girl either, but carried a lot more.