You do NOT have to prove why, just that you were. You can simply say you've seen the guy threaten others, which you did see in the past, or if he does a little bruce lee style stance before the words were exchanged, you're covered.
Yes, you do. I respectfully agree to disagree.
You may raise imminent threat as a defense but your fact finder, whether it be a judge or jury, must be convinced you acted in a reasonable manner. Just because you say you felt you were in imminent danger does not make it so. Simply saying it allows you the opportunity to demonstrate a defense and then you can illustrate a basis for your feelings--- but you still have to provide evidence that would persuade a fact finder. The true obligation of proving a threat to be imminent rests with the person asserting that claim.
I believe you may be short circuiting the reality of the process. You may be covered as you say but you will still have to go through the legal process to get such coverage.
Additionally, If a person asserts an imminent threat claim and discusses what he has seen an individual do in the past in his relationship with others the threat will likely not be deemed imminent. If you are around a person known to be a shithead judges and juries will assume you are around shitheads voluntarily and thereby not threatened.
+1
The claim of "self-defense" is an affirmative defense (I think that's the term).
You have been charged with a crime (murder, manslaughter, battery whatever).
At trial you will have to make a decision to use "self-defense" as a defense.
If you don't you will have to argue against the facts of the case (I wasn't there, I didn't shoot etc.). At that point the state has the burden of proving the facts in the case.
If you do you must admit that, in fact you were there & you did shoot & the guy died (thereby taking the burden of proof away from the state)...But you had a legal reason to do so.
In claiming self-defense you are admitting to the basic facts of the crime charged (you killed someone etc.) but you are using self-defense as a justification. You now have to prove that you actually were justified in using self-defense. You can't "just say" that was the case. The verdict at that point completely depends on the reasonableness of your claims as to why you did it.
If the jury doesn't believe you or feel that your claim is not "reasonable" then they will find you guilty of the crime.