The legal consequences for the reckless injury of an innocent third person when force or deadly force is used are described by which Tennessee statute?

• A. T.C.A. 39-11-622
• B. T.C.A. 38-8-128
• C. T.C.A. 39-11-604
• D. T.C.A. 39-11-621

Answer: (A)

The concept tested is how the law handles harm to bystanders when force is used. When someone uses force or deadly force, they can still face criminal liability if their actions recklessly injure an innocent third person. This specific scenario is described in Tennessee Code Annotated 39-11-622, which targets reckless injury or endangerment to an innocent bystander arising from the use of force or the attempt to use force. It emphasizes that the defender’s justification for using force does not automatically shield them from liability for harming bystanders if the conduct is reckless.

The other statutes listed cover different assault or related offenses and do not address the particular consequence of reckless injury to an innocent bystander in the context of using force.