Florida politicians looking at repealing "Stand your Ground"

[Silent Rifleman]

Chuckles, "the liberal in hiding", Christ is quickly dashing left with this little gem.

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. -- Gov. Charlie Crist says it might be time to revisit the "Stand Your Ground" law championed by the NRA.

The law passed in 2005 said Floridians don't have a legal obligation to avoid a fight. They have the right to respond to an attack by using deadly force.

It was supposed to protect law abiding citizens who use a gun in self-defense, but two Tallahassee gang bangers used the law to beat a manslaughter charge. Their attorneys said the rival gang members fired first, so the defendants had the right to return fire.

The judge calls it wild west justice. The prosecutor said the law stinks and needs to be repealed. And the governor said he may be right.

"I have great respect for the State Attorney (Willie Meggs) and I think that we need to review that. He brings up some very good points," Crist said.

Meggs even suggested a special session to repeal the law.

Crist is already talking about special sessions this summer to ban offshore oil drilling and approve a new law to crack down on corrupt public officials.

But the top gun lobbyist at the state Capitol defends the law. Former National Rifle Association President Marion Hammer said don't expect any repeal to be approved by the legislature.

 

[Phatty]

This is a classic example of a good law that is attacked because it protected bad people.

 

[Officers'Wife]

Further proof that when a government gets something that works they immediately try to correct the situation.

 

[Bubba613]

Further proof that when a RINO gets rejected from the GOP he shows his true colors and swings to the Left.

Have there been any, any, negative effects from "stand your ground"? Have the streets of FL suddenly started running with blood because of this? Just asking.

 

[brboyer]

Source please.

 

[mustang_steve]

Yes, I'd love a source as well since Mr. Crist is a little close to home, so I'd like to be certain this isn't bovine cakes so to say.

 

[numaone]

Silly question, and don't flame me too bad, but why is it a problem that "gang-bangers" used the protection of the law. They were attacked and have the right to defend themselves, just like any other human being.

Moreover, the "Stand your Ground" (F.S. 776.013) includes a provision that removes the protection from those engaging in illegal activities.

(3) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

So a "gang-banger" not in the process of doing anything illegal should have the same protection as any other human? I don't see why not.

I guess it's time to write Gov. Crist.

 

[KarenTOC]

Silly question, and don't flame me too bad, but why is it a problem that "gang-bangers" used the protection of the law. They were attacked and have the right to defend themselves, just like any other human being.

I agree. If they were, in fact, not in the process of doing anything illegal, they have an absolute right to defend themselves.

 

[Silent Rifleman]

I'm still trying to dig it up off the Tallahassee Democrat site again, suckers moved the link. That's very much a third rail issue around here.

 

[Jumping Frog]

I am not worried about gangbangers using the law, because most of the true gangbangers will have felony records and thus disqualified from possessing firearms anyway.

 

[AirForceShooter]

All swords have two edges.

AFS

 

[Jumping Frog]

Link to story here: Two men charged in killing declared immune

 

[lions]

This reminds me of a sig line from another member here, it goes something like:

Let's get back to talking about taking away my gun rights because of what some gang banger did last night.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

If it makes sense for the police (who are merely EXTENSIONS of the citizenry in THIS country) to stand their ground when attacked, then it follows that a single citizen has that same "authority".

 

[Silent Rifleman]

gang bangers or not, if they are not felons and they weren't committing a crime, then the law did it's job.

 

[hso]

"What this means, as illustrated by this case, is that two individuals, or even groups, can square off in a middle of a public street, exchange gunfire, and both be absolved from criminal liability if they were reasonably acting in self defense," Lewis wrote. "… it is very much like the Wild West. Maybe that is not what was intended, but that seems to be the effect of the language used."

What it means is that a prosecutor can't push a citizen using self defense to go to extraordinary and dangerous measures to withdraw when some scumbag is threatening them.

As pointed out the question of the legal standing of the participants in this particular case should be relevant. Could they even legally possess a firearm or not should have had a bearing on the case. Possession of a firearm by a felon should itself be a felony. Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony shouldn't be protected under the law.

 

[oneounceload]

Sounds more like the defense lawyers did a better job than the prosecutors - who only tend to want to plead-out anyway

 

[EddieNFL]

Gov. Charlie Crist says it might be time to revisit the "Stand Your Ground" law championed by the NRA

One term Charlie. Good riddance.

 

[jbrown50]

Sounds more like the defense lawyers did a better job than the prosecutors - who only tend to want to plead-out anyway

I agree. Sour grapes from the prosecutor. Crist is just looking for an excuse to bash the law.

And i'll reiterate what Silent Rifleman said:

gang bangers or not, if they are not felons and they weren't committing a crime, then the law did it's job.

 

[Warhawk83]

"We've reverted back to the old Matt Dillon days, when you call somebody out in the street and draw down on them, and then somebody falls and the music comes up in the background," Meggs said. "We need a special session to get this stinking law repealed."

The article isn't clear on what actually happened. I THINK the kid was a passenger in the truck of the guys that were attacked. They returned fire but in the process of the other guy attacking them the kid was shot and killed by the instigator.

I would have acquitted them too.....

The article also called the gun the boy was killed with an AKa47

Is this law controversial? It shouldn't be.

 

[wishin]

Let us not forget that Crist changed parties when he learned that his opponent was leading in the polls for the Republican nomination. This after saying he wouldn't. He's an opportunist whore........

 

[happygeek]

This reminds me of a sig line from another member here, it goes something like:

Let's get back to talking about taking away my gun rights because of what some gang banger did last night.

Yep. Clearly this crime was my fault because I own a pistol that accepts "high capacity magazines" and we should take my rights away.

I also agree 100%. Just because they're gang members doesn't mean they can't defend themselves if they were attacked while doing nothing wrong.

Also sounds like the prosecutor is a sore loser, and wants to change the law so he can convict everyone who defends themselves in the future.

 

[dogrunner]

Crist is the Arlen Spector of Florida and shouldn't be taken seriously, if in fact he did so opine......Frankly I cannot imagine ANY Florida legislator that wants to be re elected either sponsoring or voting for such a measure (shy of some of the idiots in Broward or Dade Counties).

90% of the anti crap that one reads of originates in South Florida (ie: NY or NJ South).....just as did the anti open carry issue that was pushed by Janet Reno.......the difference is that now the playing field is different and such a change has all the survivability of a paper dog in hell!..............It AIN'T gonna happen!

 

[kenno]

"Crist is already talking about special sessions this summer to ban offshore oil drilling"

So for Crist to make Policy concerning the US border is OK but when AZ trys to control crime inside it's state boundrys that is racist and unconstitutional?
Personaly I'm glad all the Progressive vermin have come out from under the garbage heaps and into the light, I just hope someone somewhare has a data base with all thier names.

 

[WardenWolf]

two Tallahassee gang bangers used the law to beat a manslaughter charge. Their attorneys said the rival gang members fired first, so the defendants had the right to return fire.

I don't see a problem with that. It doesn't matter that they were gang members. That's a red herring. They were shot at first, and they had a right to defend themselves. That's what it boils down to.