Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, § 2305
Justifiable homicide
Redline — July 1, 2021 → current.View current text →
Current — July 1, 2022
As of July 1, 2021
If a person kills or wounds another under any of the circumstances enumerated below, he or she shall be guiltless:
(1) If a person kills or wounds another under any of the circumstances enumerated below, the person shall be guiltless: in the just and necessary defense of the person’s own life or the life of any other person;
(1) in the just and necessary defense of his or her own life or the life of his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, sister, master, mistress, servant, guardian, or ward; or
(2) in the suppression of a person attempting to commit murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, burglary, or robbery, with force or violence; or
(2) if the person reasonably believed that the person, or any other person, was in imminent peril and that it was necessary to repel that peril with deadly force in the forceful or violent suppression of a person attempting to commit murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, burglary, or robbery; or
(3) in the case of a civil officer; or a military officer or private soldier when lawfully called out to suppress riot or rebellion, or to prevent or suppress invasion, or to assist in serving legal process, in suppressing opposition against him or her in the just and necessary discharge of his or her duty. Amended 1983, No. 23, § 2.
(3) in the case of a law enforcement officer as defined in 20 V.S.A. § 2351(a) using force in compliance with 20 V.S.A. § 2368(b)(1) –(2) and (5) or deadly force in compliance with 20 V.S.A. § 2368(c)(1) –(4) and (6).
(4) This section shall not be construed to limit or infringe upon defenses granted at common law.
Official source: Vermont General Assembly. Reproduced from public-domain Vermont statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.