Michael Hackett

Roger, in most jurisdictions, Jim WAS required to use the "minimum force necessary". By definition, any force beyond the minimum necessary in the circumstances is legally considered excessive force. That terminology creates a whole new can of worms in that the legal standard and analysis changes from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but the bottom line is that one is required to use the minimum force necessary to rely on claims of self-defense or justification. How that is defined and determined is jurisdiction specific.