I intervened in a fight...eeeeep (long but I need to talk)

[Talon]

What csquared said. Recommend you write down a statement, and run it by a lawyer before going to the cops, if at all.

Remember the cops are not your friends.

[notalwaysright]

Yes I know I should have stayed. Yes I know I should have talked to the cops. Yes I know I was a witness, but I was scared. I realized i had just used a weapon on another human being for the first time in my life, and I didn't know if my state laws provide "defense of a third party" as a justification for the use of force (I looked it up later, they do.)

The laws in WS's area would seem to protect her from assault charges. As far as leaving the scene, eh, if I was in your shoes I'd probably do nothing and pretend it didn't happen unless contacted by the authorities. I'm not saying that's technically what should be done, but at this point I would assume the police have all the pertinent info. I also completely agree that it's depressing how afraid we are as a people to just try to help someone. And it makes me sad how people view the police, like they're all bad.

[WishfulSpirit]

Denver cops are actually pretty darn awesome. We lived in a BAD part of town for a while, and they were there a lot. They were never anything but professional, even when arresting someone. I've never once encountered a bad cop, but maybe that's because I obey laws, show them the respect they deserve, and don't have a bad attitude.

[eltf177]

The laws in WS's area would seem to protect her from assault charges. As far as leaving the scene, eh, if I was in your shoes I'd probably do nothing and pretend it didn't happen unless contacted by the authorities.(

I have to agree with this, even though common sense says you acted to help someone else your "victim" could still sue and cause you a lot of trouble. I would also recommend an anonymous call to see if indeed your help is needed - if not then you are clear. And it sounds like there are plenty of witnesses as to what really happened.

Thank you for helping out in a moment of need...

[Catwoman2965]

And another question, is pepper spray legal where you are? Not that it makes any different to me, hey, you need to protect yourself, but it might if you chose to go forward, since if its not, it could cause issues for you.

[WishfulSpirit]

So I looked it up. Pepper spray is legal in Colorado, and using it is not considered using a weapon the same way that, say, using a gun or club (or beer bottle, paving stone, or other random object) would be. In self-defense, it isn't really the use of a weapon that matters, it's the use of force involved, and was that force "reasonable" under the circumstances. Nothing in law is totally cut-and-dried. Circumstances are always considered, both exacerbating and mitigating. For example, someone driving without a licence who was taking his sick, elderly mother to the hospital should (and probably would) be treated differently than someone driving without a license while street racing. If I'd run up to some random guy standing at the bus stop and sprayed him, said guy would have probably have grounds for an assault-with-weapon charge against me, even though pepper spray isn't legally a "weapon" in Colorado. Using pepper spray and stopping someone in the act of beating the crap out of someone else (which is what I did) is a *bit* different.