Upon the law of self-defense, you are are instructed that a person is justified in using force against another when and to the degree she reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to protect herself against the other person's use or attempted use of unlawful force.
The use of force against another is not justified in response to verbal provocation alone.
A person is justified in using deadly force against another:
(1) if she would be justified in using force against the other in the first place;
(2) if a reasonable person in the defendant’s situation would not have retreated; and
(3) when and to the degree she reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary to prevent the other’s imminent commission of sexual assault.
A person commits the offense of sexual assault if the person intentionally or knowingly:
(1) causes the penetration of the female sexual organ of another person by any means, without that person’s consent;
(2) causes the penetration of the mouth of another person by the sexual organ of the defendant, without that person’s consent; or
(3) causes the sexual organ of another person, without that person’s consent, to contact the mouth of another person, including the defendant.
A sexual assault is without the consent of the other person if the defendant compels the other person to submit or participate by the use of physical force or violence, or by threatening to use force or violence against the other person, and the other person believes that the actor has the present ability to execute the threat.
By the term "reasonable belief" as used herein is meant a belief that would be held by an ordinary and prudent person in the same circumstances as the defendant.
By the term "deadly force" is meant force that is intended or known by the persons using it to cause, or in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing, death or serious bodily injury.
Therefore, if you find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, (DEFENDANT), did cause the death of (COMPLAINANT), by stabbing (COMPLAINANT) with a knife; or did cause serious bodily injury to (COMPLAINANT) by stabbing (COMPLAINANT) with a knife; or did cause bodily injury to (COMPLAINANT) by using a deadly weapon, namely, a knife, as alleged, but you further find from the evidence, as viewed from the standpoint of the defendant at the time, that from the words or conduct, or both, of (COMPLAINANT) it reasonably appeared to the defendant that the use of deadly force was immediately necessary to prevent the imminent commission of sexual assault by (COMPLAINANT), and that acting under such apprehension and reasonably believing that the use of deadly force on her part was immediately necessary to protect herself against the imminent commission of sexual assault by (COMPLAINANT), the defendant stabbed (COMPLAINANT) with a knife, and that a reasonable person in the defendant's situation would not have retreated, then you should acquit the defendant on the grounds of self-defense; or if you have a reasonable doubt as to whether or not the defendant was acting in self-defense on said occasion and under the circumstances, then you should give the defendant the benefit of that doubt and say by your verdict, not guilty.
If you find from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that at the time and place in question the defendant did not reasonably believe that the use of deadly force was immediately necessary to prevent the imminent commission of sexual assault by (COMPLAINANT), or that a reasonable person in the defendant's situation would have retreated before using deadly force against (COMPLAINANT), then you should find against the defendant on the issue of self-defense.