Gene Hackman Slaps A Homeless Man

Gene Hackman and his wife were walking down the street in Santa Fe, New Mexico when they passed a homeless man on the street. The homeless man demanded money from the couple and then called Hackman's wife a c**t. Hackman slapped the man who then immediately called the police. After hearing both sides of the story, the 82 year old Hackman was judged to have been acting in self defense and no tickets or arrests made. What do you think? Right decision by the police? How would you have reacted?