{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-503.120","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 503.120","heading":"Justification -- General provisions.","body":"(1) When the defendant believes that the use of force upon or toward the person of\nanother is necessary for any of the purposes for which such belief would establish a\njustification under KRS 503.050 to 503.110 but the defendant is wanton or reckless\nin believing the use of any force, or the degree of force used, to be necessary or in\nacquiring or failing to acquire any knowledge or belief which is material to the\njustifiability of his use of force, the justification afforded by those sections is\nunavailable in a prosecution for an offense for which wantonness or recklessness, as\nthe case may be, suffices to establish culpability.\n(2) When the defendant is justified under KRS 503.050 to 503.110 in using force upon\nor toward the person of another, but he wantonl y or recklessly injures or creates a\nrisk of injury to innocent persons, the justification afforded by those sections is\nunavailable in a prosecution for an offense involving wantonness or recklessness\ntoward innocent persons.","path":["KRS Chapter 503"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19678","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T21:00:00Z","sha256":"004f1ca94436c2e16116af97ef57f7bf847a02f5390469423609bfd538a4e800","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-503.110","next":"us-ky/krs-504.010"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}