Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 503.100 (2026)

Prevention of a suicide or crime

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section KY-LRCapps.legislature.ky.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

(1) The use of physical force by a defendant upon another person is justifiable when the defendant believes that such force is immediately necessary to prevent such other person from: (a) Committing suicide or inflicting serious physical injury upon himself; or (b) Committing a crime involving or threatening serious physical injury to person, substantial damage to or loss of property, or any other violent conduct. (2) The use of deadly physical force by a defendant upon another person is justifiable under subsection (1)(b) only when the defendant believes that the person whom he seeks to prevent from committing a crime is likely to endanger human life. (3) The limitations imposed on the justifiable use of force in self-protection by KRS 503.050 and 503.060, for the protection of others by KRS 503.070, for the protection of property by KRS 503.080, and for the effectuation of an arrest or the prevention of an escape by KRS 503.090 apply notwithstanding the criminality of the conduct against which such force is used. Effective: January 1, 1975 History: Created 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 406, sec. 35, effective January 1, 1975.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1996–2014 · leading case: Pollini v. Commonwealth, 172 S.W.3d 418 (Ky. 2005).
Pollini v. Commonwealth, 172 S.W.3d 418 (Ky. 2005). · cites it 4× “090; force used to prevent suicide or to prevent the commission of a crime involving or threatening serious physical injury to person, substantial damage to or loss of property, or any other violent conduct, KRS 503.100; or force used by a parent, guardian, teacher, official at…”
Staples v. Commonwealth, 454 S.W.3d 803 (Ky. 2014). “030, or prevention of a crime, KRS 503.100, he could nevertheless be charged with a potentially serious crime and face trial.”
Compassion in Dying v. Washington, 79 F.3d 790 (9th Cir. 1996). “Stat § 703-308(1) (1985); Ky.Rev.Stat. § 503.100(1)(a) (1985); Mo.Ann.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 503.100(1)(a) — 1 case
Compassion in Dying v. Washington, 79 F.3d 790 (9th Cir. 1996). “Stat § 703-308(1) (1985); Ky.Rev.Stat. § 503.100(1)(a) (1985); Mo.Ann.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 503.100(1)(b) — 1 case
Pollini v. Commonwealth, 172 S.W.3d 418 (Ky. 2005). “090; force used to prevent suicide or to prevent the commission of a crime involving or threatening serious physical injury to person, substantial damage to or loss of property, or any other violent conduct, KRS 503.100; or force used by a parent, guardian, teacher, official at…”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 503.100(l)(b) — 1 case
Pollini v. Commonwealth, 172 S.W.3d 418 (Ky. 2005). “090; force used to prevent suicide or to prevent the commission of a crime involving or threatening serious physical injury to person, substantial damage to or loss of property, or any other violent conduct, KRS 503.100; or force used by a parent, guardian, teacher, official at…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.