Code Sections
TOC
1-2-6
8-3-202
10-1-100
10-1-101
10-1-439
10-1-439.1
10-1-439.2
10-1-439.3
10-1-439.4
12-3-9
12-3-10
12-3-10.1
12-3-11
15-9-60
15-11-601
16-1-3
16-1-10
16-3-1
16-3-21
16-3-22
16-3-23
16-3-23.1
16-3-24
16-3-24.1
16-3-24.2
16-7-21
16-11-34.1
16-11-38
16-11-101
16-11-101.1
16-11-102
16-11-103
16-11-104
16-11-105
16-11-106
16-11-108
16-11-109
16-11-113
16-11-120
16-11-121
16-11-122
16-11-123
16-11-124
16-11-125
16-11-125.1
16-11-126
16-11-127
16-11-127.1
16-11-127.2
16-11-128
16-11-129
16-11-130
16-11-130.1
16-11-130.2
16-11-131
16-11-132
16-11-133
16-11-134
16-11-135
16-11-136
16-11-137
16-11-138
16-11-150
16-11-151
16-11-152
16-11-160
16-11-161
16-11-162
16-11-171
16-11-172
16-11-173
16-12-122
16-12-123
16-12-127
16-12-128
16-12-129
16-13-21
16-13-25
16-13-26
16-13-27
16-13-27.1
16-13-28
16-13-29
17-5-50
17-5-51
17-5-52
17-5-52.1
17-5-53
17-10-3
21-2-2
21-2-413
27-1-36
27-1-38
27-3-1.1
27-3-6
27-3-7
27-4-11.1
33-24-30.1
35-3-34
37-1-1
38-2-194
38-2-277
38-2-301
38-3-37
38-3-51
41-1-9
42-4-13
42-5-15
43-38-10
50-18-70
50-18-71
50-18-72
50-18-73
50-18-74
51-11-9
Found In LexisNexis by searching for "16-3-21" or in the TOC under:
Title 16 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Chapter 3 - DEFENSES TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS
Article 2 - JUSTIFICATION AND EXCUSE
The code sections are all Copyright © 2017 by The State of Georgia
O.C.G.A.§ 16-3-21
Use of force in defense of self or others; evidence of belief that force was necessary in murder or manslaughter prosecution
(a) A person is justified in threatening or using force against another
when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such threat or
force is necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person against such
other's imminent use of unlawful force; however, except as provided in Code
Section 16-3-23, a person is justified in using force which is intended or
likely to cause death or great bodily harm only if he or she reasonably believes
that such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself
or herself or a third person or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.
(b) A person is not justified in using force under the circumstances
specified in subsection (a) of this Code section if he:
(1) Initially provokes the use of force against himself
with the intent to use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the
assailant;
(2) Is attempting to commit, committing, or fleeing after
the commission or attempted commission of a felony; or
(3) Was the aggressor or was engaged in a combat by
agreement unless he withdraws from the encounter and effectively communicates to
such other person his intent to do so and the other, notwithstanding, continues
or threatens to continue the use of unlawful force.
(c) Any rule, regulation, or policy of any agency of the state or any
ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, or policy of any county, municipality,
or other political subdivision of the state which is in conflict with this Code
section shall be null, void, and of no force and effect.
(d) In a prosecution for murder or manslaughter, if a defendant raises as a
defense a justification provided by subsection (a) of this Code section, the
defendant, in order to establish the defendant's reasonable belief that the use
of force or deadly force was immediately necessary, may be permitted to offer:
(1) Relevant evidence that the defendant had been the
victim of acts of family violence or child abuse committed by the deceased, as
such acts are described in Code Sections 19-13-1 and 19-15-1, respectively; and
(2) Relevant expert testimony regarding the condition of
the mind of the defendant at the time of the offense, including those relevant
facts and circumstances relating to the family violence or child abuse that are
the bases of the expert's opinion.
HISTORY:
Laws 1833, Cobb's 1851 Digest, p. 785; Code 1863, § 4230; Code 1868, § 4267; Code 1873, § 4333; Code 1882, § 4333; Penal Code 1895, § 73; Penal Code 1910, § 73; Code 1933, § 26-1014; Code 1933, § 26-902, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 1249, § 1; Ga. L. 1975, p. 1209, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1716, § 2; Ga. L. 2001, p. 1247, § 1.