Number of "stand your ground" cases rises as legislators rethink law

[There Is No Spoon]

By Ben Montgomery and Connie Humburg
Tampa Bay Times staff writers

The controversial law which police have cited in their decision not to charge the man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin has been invoked at least 130 times statewide since 2005.

A Tampa Bay Times survey, compiled from 31 Florida newspapers and public records, shows that the number of cases in which "stand your ground" has been invoked has climbed dramatically in the past year and a half. The analysis shows that police and prosecutors continue to apply the law unevenly.

...

The Times analysis shows that more than 70 percent of the 130 cases involved a fatality. In the majority of the cases, the person who plunged the knife or swung the bat or pulled the trigger did not face a trial.

...

"As far as I’m concerned, that Neighborhood Watch guy was breaking that law as soon as he started following that kid. He was stalking him. That’s not standing your ground,"

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/22/27...rylink=cpy

[jaxx]

70% didn't face a trial. OMG that bodes no good for getting Zimmerman into a courtroom. It's a terrible law and needs to be removed in every state that has it.

[There Is No Spoon]

(04-07-2012 11:06 PM)jaxx Wrote:  70% didn't face a trial. OMG that bodes no good for getting Zimmerman into a courtroom. It's a terrible law and needs to be removed in every state that has it.

Basically, we're all James Bond now - we all have a license to kill.

This law should be making Republicans nervous - in the article the last quote there was from a Republican who voted for the bill.

[pappy]

(04-07-2012 11:15 PM)There Is No Spoon Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 11:06 PM)jaxx Wrote:  70% didn't face a trial. OMG that bodes no good for getting Zimmerman into a courtroom. It's a terrible law and needs to be removed in every state that has it.

Basically, we're all James Bond now - we all have a license to kill.

This law should be making Republicans nervous - in the article the last quote there was from a Republican who voted for the bill.

I am waiting and the clock is ticking...tick tick tick...for an NRA stooge to tell the nation that Trayvon might still be alive if only he had been armed.

But, of course, Trayvon is dark skinned and Zimmerman is light skinned with a European name. I'm waiting but not stupid enough to hold my breath.

[Treestar]

Stand your ground should only apply in the home. Otherwise, it's just going to cause more of these types of killings. Zimmerman could have gotten out of this without someone dying. That's the bottom line.

[OptimistesMaddie]

(04-08-2012 10:21 AM)Treestar Wrote:  Stand your ground should only apply in the home. Otherwise, it's just going to cause more of these types of killings. Zimmerman could have gotten out of this without someone dying. That's the bottom line.

are intentionally being twisted by Alec and the gun right lobbyist.

The Castle doctrine originated from England and in a nut shell it says that a homeowner can protect his castle (home) from intruders even with deadly force. Now remember this is in the home.

The "Stand your ground Law" basically says that anyone can be anywhere, a public sidewalk, a mall, a park anywhere and if he "feels" threatened he can use deadly force and won't be prosecuted.

Along with the obvious flaws of Stand your ground, the Republicans and Alec only intended for this law to be inacted against Blacks. In their minds blacks are the only people in this country committing crimes. The day when a black uses this law against a white aggressor (or innocent person) they will claim that the law wasn't written for those cases. Many people are going to die because of this law.

[SeattleGirl]

(04-08-2012 11:30 AM)OptimistesMaddie Wrote:  

(04-08-2012 10:21 AM)Treestar Wrote:  Stand your ground should only apply in the home. Otherwise, it's just going to cause more of these types of killings. Zimmerman could have gotten out of this without someone dying. That's the bottom line.

are intentionally being twisted by Alec and the gun right lobbyist.

The Castle doctrine originated from England and in a nut shell it says that a homeowner can protect his castle (home) from intruders even with deadly force. Now remember this is in the home.

The "Stand your ground Law" basically says that anyone can be anywhere, a public sidewalk, a mall, a park anywhere and if he "feels" threatened he can use deadly force and won't be prosecuted.

Along with the obvious flaws of Stand your ground, the Republicans and Alec only intended for this law to be inacted against Blacks. In their minds blacks are the only people in this country committing crimes. The day when a black uses this law against a white aggressor (or innocent person) they will claim that the law wasn't written for those cases. Many people are going to die because of this law.

On one of her shows last week, Rachel said that with the way this law is written, the "castle" is like an invisible bubble around a person so that anywhere they go, they are in their "castle". I think that's an apt description of this law. And the thing that makes it so dangerous.

[suzie]

I think that I remember reading that 60% of the cases ruled justifiable involved police. Which usually involves a shooting where there is a commission of a felony.

We all know that sometimes the police gun down the citizenry. But they're still a little different situations than the trailer park resident who fires at the Power and Light guys because he doesn't want them to shut off his juice.