Legal Definitions - mutual affray

Definition: Mutual affray, also known as mutual combat, is a consensual fight between two people who are equally armed with deadly weapons. This fight arises from a moment of passion and is not in self-defense. If death occurs during mutual combat, a murder charge may be reduced to voluntary manslaughter.

Example: Two individuals get into a heated argument and agree to settle their differences through a physical fight. They both have knives and engage in a mutual affray. During the fight, one of them is fatally wounded. The surviving individual may be charged with voluntary manslaughter instead of murder.

Explanation: The example illustrates how mutual affray is a consensual fight between two individuals who are equally armed with deadly weapons. The fight arises from a moment of passion and is not in self-defense. If death occurs during the fight, the charges may be reduced to voluntary manslaughter instead of murder.