Stop. When you were arguing your nonexistent point you did so on the grounds of "this is how I remember stuff like this playing out in regards to, Assault, Battery, Torts, Negligence, stuff in class." and "I used to go through scenarios in class like this..." so did you go to class in New Jersey? If not why did you start arguing any of this from the perspective of your class and not make a distinction later on? Rhetorical, no need to answer as it will simply keep us going back and forth. As for NJ laws you should probably look into a couple of cases (like I did after you posted) to see how they treat wobblers and assaults and battery. However, more importantly, it should be noted that neither Ray or Janey rice were charged with BATTERY but with ASSAULT (or simple assault), then her charges were dropped, his were bumped up.
Ray followed her into the elevator, stepped into her space and then made a threatening gesture. New Jersey law is pretty much the same as CA law when it comes to self defense so he would still have to prove 2 and 3 and that's if we say Janey Rice actually did spit on him. The problem with that, however, is witnesses and others who have seen the video are saying it was RAY who actually spit on her, twice in fact, and initial reports of her doing it appear to have been not clarified or wrong.
Ray Rice spat in face of fiancee twice before punch, Outside The Lines reports - ESPN
Ray spits, she approaches, Ray knocks her out. What else do we need to discuss?
