Florida legislature poised to bolster 'Stand Your Ground' law

[TomCADem]

Source: MSN/Reuters

Florida lawmakers advanced a measure on Wednesday that could make it easier to avoid prosecution in deadly shootings and other use-of-force cases by seeking immunity on self-defense grounds under the state's pioneering "stand your ground" law.

In a 74-39 vote, the state's House of Representatives passed legislation that shifts the burden of proof from defendants to prosecutors when the law is invoked to avoid trial.

The measure now returns to the state Senate, which last month approved its own version of the bill. Both chambers are controlled by Republicans.

Florida's "stand your ground" law, passed in 2005, received wide scrutiny and inspired similar laws in other states. It removed the legal responsibility to retreat from a dangerous situation and allowed use deadly force when a person felt greatly threatened.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/florida-legislature-poised-to-bolster-stand-your-ground-law/ar-BBzsl8d

[uppityperson]

1. Wtf

[OldRedneck]

2. I'll bet . . .

. . . George Zimmerman is celebrating tonight.

[madville]

3. His defense didn't use the 2005 Stand Your Ground law

They actually purposely declined to utilize it. His defense was based on the established or "legacy" self-defense laws that most other US states also recognize.

[cstanleytech]

4. I always felt it was a bullshit defense because had he followed directions and

used common sense and stayed in his vehicle a young kid would probably still be alive today.

[metalbot]

11. This is completely true

There's absolutely no disagreement that Martin would be alive today if Zimmerman had followed directions.

But it's also irrelevant to Zimmerman's legal guilt or defense. There's no law that says that you have to follow the advice of a 911 operator.

[MrScorpio]

5. As if gun toting maniacs in Florida didn't already have a big enough impetus to shoot other people

[SergeStorms]

6. It's like the Wild West........

in some parts of Florida. The panhandle, the big bend on down to Cedar Key......nothing but beards, pick-up trucks with gun racks, , camouflage clothes, confederate flags........ and those are the women!

Southern Florida, from Everglades City across alligator alley, the loop road and east toward Miami.....I wouldn't even try to drive in those areas. Yeah, I'm an old hippie, and wear my freak flag high, but in this day and age you'd think they would have heard the Civil War is over by now! But this IS the 'Trump era' (however temporary) but still......

[DetlefK]

7. Bearded ladies in camouflage?

[Archae]

17. You mean the TV and movies version of the Wild West.

Heck, some of the towns would have NRA lawyers living there full-time trying to get town rules repealed, like how guns had to be checked in to the Sheriff's office until the owner left!

[YOHABLO]

8. Florida has become a nice place to visit but who wants to live there?

Oh the super wealthy on Palm Beach .. yeah, forgot.

[Cryptoad]

9. U go to Florida for whatever reason,,,,

u best be carrying!

[Vinca]

10. Florida needs a whole new advertising campaign centered around how easy it would be to

murder someone and get away with it. "But he threatened me . . . "

[sinkingfeeling]

12. Seems like they really want to kill off their tourism completely.

[Greensix1]

13. So if I feel threatened by a Republican legislator's vote would that qualify

If my health insurance was being taken away by the vote of a Republican legislator, or my child was going to die because of lack of medical care, because of a Republican passed law, would that qualify as a reason to shoot one, and be protected by the newly expanded stand your ground law? It seems like it would be.

[angstlessk]

14. Why aren't they honest enough to write the legislation they REALLY want?

IF you are a white man and shoot/kill anyone other than another white man, you CANNOT BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME!

[neeksgeek]

15. They should just rename this the "You lookin' at me?" law and be done with it.

[kimbutgar]

16. Until they do away with stand your ground laws I will never visit Flirida

I just wonder why Disney is not speaking out against this? And when they have an awful tourism season because of chump scaring off foreign visitors Florida will suffer in revenue.

My son and husband want to go back to Florida but Mama and wife say no way.