content: The only way you can argue self defense is that you believe you were an imminent threat of being harmed.  Pulled this section from a law website. States vary. I don't think a football google could reasonably argue he was in threat of being harmed by the woman he probably said something nasty too.  Self Defense Use of force that would otherwise be criminal in nature may be excused if it was done in self defense. Though the specific rules for self defense vary from state to state, generally, a person under an imminent threat of physical violence can act to prevent being harmed. In a physical confrontation, self defense typically allows a person who reasonably believes he is about to be hit to defend himself. However, if you’ve already been hit, and the person who hit you indicates by words or actions that he is not going to hit you again, self defense generally does not allow you to hit that person back. Self defense may only be invoked to prevent further harm, not to retaliate against a person who has already harmed you.