Reply #14: Ah, much appreciated. I believe that, even in states w/o the duty to retreat...

[varkam]

you can't be disproportionate in the amount of force that you use (i.e. if you aren't attacked with deadly force, then you can't respond with deadly force - though I think that only applies if you're not in your dwelling). In addition, once the fight is "over" and the other side has clearly signaled a "surrender" (either by fleeing or by laying on the ground and...well...bleeding) you have to stop (and I'm pretty sure that even applies in your own dwelling).

Like I said, it's a tricky thing.