21-3220. Use of force; construction and application
The provisions of this act are to be construed and applied retroactively.
21-3221. Use of force; definitions
(a) As used in article 32 of chapter 21 of the Kansas
Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto:
(1) "Use of force" means any or all of the following directed at or upon another person or
thing: (A) Words or actions that reasonably convey the threat of force, including threats to cause
death or great bodily harm to a person; (B) the presentation or display of the means of force; or
(C) the application of physical force, including by a weapon or through the actions of
another.
(2) "Use of deadly force" means the application of any physical force described in
paragraph (1) which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to a person. Any threat to cause
death or great bodily harm, including, but not limited to, by the display or production of a
weapon, shall not constitute use of deadly force, so long as the actor's purpose is limited to
creating an apprehension that the actor will, if necessary, use deadly force in defense of such
actor or another or to affect a lawful arrest.
(b) An actor who threatens deadly force as described in subsection (a)(1) shall determination in subsection (a) of K.S.A. 21-3211, and amendments thereto, determination in subsection (b) of K.S.A. 21-3211, and amendments thereto.
21-3211. Use of force in defense of a person; no duty to retreat
(a) A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent it appears to such
person and such person reasonably believes that such use of force is necessary to defend such
person or a third person against such other's imminent use of unlawful force.
(b) A person is justified in the use of deadly force under circumstances described in
subsection (a) if such person reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is necessary to
prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person.
(c) Nothing in this section shall require a person to retreat if such person is using force to
protect such person or a third person.
21-3212. Use of force in defense of dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle; no duty
to retreat
(a) A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent that
it appears to such person and such person reasonably believes that such use of force is necessary
to prevent or terminate such other's unlawful entry into or attack upon such person's dwelling,
place of work or occupied vehicle.
(b) A person is justified in the use of deadly force to prevent or terminate unlawful entry
into or attack upon any dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle if such person reasonably
believes that such use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily
harm to such person or another.
(c) Nothing in this section shall require a person to retreat if such person is using force to
protect such person's dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle.
21-3212a. Use of force; presumptions
(a) For the purposes of K.S.A. 21-3211 and
21-3212, and amendments thereto, a person is presumed to have a reasonable belief that deadly
force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or another
person if:
(1) The person against whom the force is used, at the time the force is used:
(A) Is unlawfully or forcefully entering, or has unlawfully or forcefully entered, and is
present within, the dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle of the person using force; or
(B) has removed or is attempting to remove another person against such other person's will from
the dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle of the person using force; and
(2) the person using force knows or has reason to believe that any of the conditions set forth in paragraph (1) is occurring or has occurred.
(b) The presumption set forth in subsection (a) does not apply if, at the time the force is
used:
(1) The person against whom the force is used has a right to be in, or is a lawful resident
of, the dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle of the person using force, and is not subject to
any order listed in K.S.A. 21-3843, and amendments thereto, that would prohibit such person's
presence in the property;
(2) the person sought to be removed is a child, grandchild or is otherwise in the lawful
custody or under the lawful guardianship of the person against whom the force is used;
(3) the person using force is engaged in the commission of a crime, attempting to escape
from a location where a crime has been committed, or is using the dwelling, place of work or
occupied vehicle to further the commission of a crime; or
(4) the person against whom the force is used is a law enforcement officer who has
entered or is attempting to enter a dwelling, place of work or occupied vehicle in the lawful
performance of such officer's lawful duties, and the person using force knows or reasonably
should know that the person who has entered or is attempting to enter is a law enforcement
officer.
21-3213. Use of force in defense of property other than a dwelling, place of work or
occupied vehicle
A person who is lawfully in possession of property other than a dwelling,
place of work or occupied vehicle is justified in the use of force against another for the purpose
of preventing or terminating an unlawful interference with such property. Only such use of force
as a reasonable person would deem necessary to prevent or terminate the interference may
intentionally be used.
21-3214. Use of force by an aggressor
The justification described in K.S.A. 21-3211,
21-3212 and 21-3213, and amendments thereto, is not available to a person who:
(a) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping from the commission of a forcible
felony; or
(b) Initially provokes the use of any force against such person or another, with intent to
use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the assailant; or
(c) Otherwise initially provokes the use of any force against such person or another,
unless:
(1) Such person has reasonable grounds to believe that such person is in imminent danger
of death or great bodily harm, and such person has exhausted every reasonable means to escape
such danger other than the use of deadly force; or
(2) In good faith, such person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and
indicates clearly to the assailant that such person desires to withdraw and terminate the use of
such force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of such force.
21-3218. No duty to retreat; exceptions
(a) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful
activity and who is attacked in a place where such person has a right to be
has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand such person's ground and use any
force which such person would be justified in using under article 32 of chapter 21 of the Kansas
Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto.
(b) This section shall be part of and supplemental to the Kansas criminal code.
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