Has Florida's 'stand-your-ground' law saved thousands of lives?

3 Comments

  • Rich7553 - 12 years ago

    Thomas McHale - Your post is just chock full of inaccuracies. No wonder you believe the way you do.

    "The law is a disgrace! It empowers people to legally kill any person that "they" consider a threat. Florida's gun laws, in general, are an abomination but this one goes way too far. Repeal it!!!"

    The law does no such thing, and it very apparent you have never read it. The Stand Your Ground statute is as follows:

    776.012 Use of force in defense of person.—A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if:

    (1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony; or

    (2) Under those circumstances permitted pursuant to s. 776.013 (Castle Doctrine).

    Where is the license to kill you allege? It says you must reasonably believe that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. And guess what? That determination is made by a court.

    "Regarding the Zimmerman case, he disobeyed a directive by the police dispatcher not to pursue and that a police car was on the way. He alone elected not to do that."

    The Sanford police dispatcher was not a law enforcement officer and therefore could not issue a directive as you allege.

    "He has a history of being racially biased and it's clear that he initiated the confrontation with the "hooded" young man."

    Please post the evidence of Zimmerman's alleged history of being racially biased. It is not at all clear that Zimmerman initiated the confrontation with Martin. None of the evidence supports that conjecture, including the tape of the conversation between Zimmerman and the dispatcher. In the tape, Zimmerman is clearly heard saying, "he ran", and "I don't know where he is". These statements occurred AFTER Zimmerman can be heard running to follow Martin.

    "In my mind, that makes him responsible for the young man's death, regardless of what occurred after that. The young man had a right to be in the community without being followed by a non-law enforcement officer."

    Two very telling phrases here: "In my mind" and "regardless of what occurred after that" indicate you have already tried and convicted Zimmerman without regard to what the evidence proves or refutes, and therefore your viewpoint is based on revenge rather than justice.

    "The young man had a right to be in the community without being followed by a non-law enforcement officer. "

    Indeed. But he did not have the right to initiate physical violence on Zimmerman, as is alleged.

    "As a former neighborhood watch person, it is grilled into you, not to pursue but to report."

    Irrelevant. Zimmerman was not part of the neighborhood watch program and thus was not bound in any way by its rules.

    "Zimmerman took it upon himself to pursue and confront, which cost a young man his life."

    True, Zimmerman took it upon himself to pursue. However, there is nothing to refute the allegation that Martin confronted Zimmerman after Zimmerman had abandoned his pursuit and was returning to his vehicle to meet with police. Ultimately, what cost Trayvon his life is attempting to beat on an armed individual.

    "WHAT A TRAGEDY!!!"

    For everyone involved.

  • Castrosbunker - 12 years ago

    The Palm Beach Post is runned by Pinko-Liberals and they decide what stays and what gets removed. They live to tear up the Second Amendment, let's see how long this comment stays up.

  • Thomas McHale - 12 years ago

    The law is a disgrace! It empowers people to legally kill any person that "they" consider a threat.
    Florida's gun laws, in general, are an abomination but this one goes way too far. Repeal it!!!

    Regarding the Zimmerman case, he disobeyed a directive by the police dispatcher not to pursue and that a police car was on the way. He alone elected not to do that. He has a history of being racially biased and it's clear that he initiated the confrontation with the "hooded" young man. In my mind, that makes him responsible for the young man's death, regardless of what occurred after that. The young man had a right to be in the community without being followed by a non-law enforcement officer. As a former neighborhood watch person, it is grilled into you, not to pursue but to report. Zimmerman took it upon himself to pursue and confront, which cost a young man his life. WHAT A TRAGEDY!!!

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