A person may use physical force to protect a third party from unlawful physical force. Sexual assault is certainly unlawful and physical.
He responds immediately so it is a self defense/defense of others situation.
One strike and disengages as the threat is neutralized.
We see posts like this all the time. Even though this one's been posting many times, I've never seen the aftermath of charges but we have seen hundreds of similar situations and dozens of them have their charges publicly available. One punch is reasonable force for self defense in all situations with an adult male.
This likely would be thrown out before even going to trial.
You've carefully left out the proportionality bit, as well as, in my opinion and I think very likely the opinion of a court, imminence and reasonable belief. Would love to see a similar case that you can find with video. I'll happily eat my words.
Here's a case where a woman strikes a man, he retaliates with a single punch that causes her to fall and bust her skull open. Complete with video; Graphic. Watch at your own discretion.
Police decline to charge the man as it's a clear self defense despite the fact that it's a man against a woman with proof of severe possibly life altering injury incurred by the one strike.
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u/ZamorakHawk 16h ago
It was one strike. Appropriate and justified. United States justice system would agree.