What happens when a plaintiff withdraws from a confrontation after using unprivileged force?

When a plaintiff withdraws from a confrontation after using unprivileged force, the defendant loses the privilege to use force. This principle is rooted in the idea that once the aggressive party (the plaintiff in this case) has indicated a withdrawal from the conflict, the situation has changed. The law recognizes that self-defense may only be claimed in response to an ongoing threat.

When the plaintiff decides to withdraw, it signifies to the defendant that there is no longer an immediate threat to them, and thus the justification for the defendant to respond with force also diminishes. The withdrawal indicates that the confrontation is over, and any further use of force by the defendant would be unjustified and may be viewed as an unlawful response to a non-existent threat. This principle upholds the belief that conflicts should be resolved peacefully once one party chooses to disengage.