La regla de Tueller en los tribunales españoles: Estudio sobre su aplicación

  1. Marcos Chávez-Carou 1
  1. 1 Universidad de Salamanca
    info
    Universidad de Salamanca

    Salamanca, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02f40zc51

    Geographic location of the organization Universidad de Salamanca
Journal:
DOCRIM: Revista científica

ISSN: 2659-7705

Year of publication: 2025

Issue: 20

Type: Article

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More publications in: DOCRIM: Revista científica

Abstract

The Tueller Rule, formulated in the 1980s by Sergeant Dennis Tueller, establishes that an attacker armed with a stabbing weapon can cover approximately 6.4 meters (21 feet) in the time it takes a trained defender to identify the threat, draw their weapon, and fire an effective shot. This hypothesis was introduced for the first time in Spanish legal argumentation in Supreme Court ruling 268/2023, dated April 19, which recognized its relevance in assessing the rational necessity of the means employed in situations of selfdefense. This study examines the incorporation of the Tueller Rule into Spanish jurisprudence, analyzing its scientific foundation, its application in police training, and its impact on the evaluation of proportionality in the use of force as a defensive measure. Through the review of case law, the study explores its doctrinal implications and its potential consolidation as a criterion in the legal assessment of self-defense, contributing to a more precise interpretation aligned with the operational reality of armed confrontations.

Bibliographic References

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  • PÉREZ VERA, E. “Punta hueca: ¿está o no su uso prohibido para las FYCS españolas?”. Armas, 2008. https://www.armas.es/municion/punta-hueca-iesta-ono-su-uso-prohibido-para-las-fycs-espanolas.
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  • STS, Sala Segunda, 268/2023, de 14 de abril.
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