Florida to examine "stand your ground" law

Now that George Zimmerman has been arrested for the death of Trayvon Martin, just how strong is the case against him? Jeff Glor and Rebecca Jarvis discuss the case with Tru-TV's Jean Casarez of "In Session."

(AP) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Gov. Rick Scott is putting together a 17-member task force to look at the state law that allows someone to defend themselves.

Scott announced Thursday the group will begin its work in May. The task force was created in the wake of the death of teenager Trayvon Martin.

Martin was shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who maintains he acted in self-defense. Zimmerman was charged last week with second-degree murder.

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The task force will include attorneys, judges, and a prosecutor. The Ocala legislator who sponsored the "stand your ground" law, which eliminated a person's duty to retreat when threatened with seriously bodily harm or death, is also on the panel.

Scott says he doesn't want the group to have any "preconceived notions" about what to recommend.

[robin305]

I am from Florida and seems here if you are related to the law enforcement you get special considerations..""stand your ground"" law.. it's just an excuse to go out to the street and kill anyone that you don't like or disagree with.. A way to solve any disagreement between 3 .. the good the bad and the gun.

Miami Gardens 2011...my best friend testimony

On November 26, 2011 at around 2:00 a.m., Victor Rafael Grullon was shot. He was 26 years old. According to eye witness reports, he was playing pool at "Our Place Lounge & Liquor" in Hialeah/Miami Lakes. Eye witnesses say that there was a Miami-Dade County Correctional Officer that habitually visited the bar and liked to drink and flash his gun. Both Victor and the individual that shot him were transported to the hospital. (1) there were two wounded and one gun, (2) police is certain that the gun did not belong to Victor,(3)police had taken the statement from the other wounded person, and (4) that they were waiting for Victor to come out of surgery to take his statement. Victor never got a chance to make a statement.

48 hours after Victor's case was in the hands of Miami-Dade Police Department Criminal Investigations Division, Homicide Bureau To date, the police (a) have not completed a police report, (b) have not pressed any charges, and (c) have not been forthcoming about the outcome of their investigation. I waited a month and never heard from the Detectives, so I started calling them on a weekly basis trying to get the status of the case. They have been giving me the run around telling me (1) that they're too busy, (2) that my son's case is not the only case they have, and (3) that they are waiting for the State Attorney's Office to schedule an appointment to go over my son's case. I have called the State Attorney's Office and they have no record of my son's case nor do they have any record of their being any communication between the Miami-Dade Police Detectives and their office regarding my son's case. I have also called and been given the run around by the Inspector Supervisor, Department of Corrections, Department of Justice, FBI, Office of the Attorney General, Florida Commission of Ethics, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Internal Affairs. I have given the Detectives the names of witnesses who were there that night and the Police has not contacted any of them. These witnesses say that on the night in question the Detectives that arrived at the scene were asking for the witnesses name and numbers, but never asked the witnesses for identification to corroborate their identities. I firmly believe that there is a cover-up in my son's case. I want to get to the bottom of this and bring my son's killer to justice. Victor is survived by his 4 year old daughter and by me, his mother, Ana E. Grullon.

*****Today nothing has change and charges still given the run around :( and another mother grieving...

[sandiegopete]

The SYG laws add nothing to the defense of self-defense. Prior to the enactment of any SYG law every state in the Union recognized a right to self-defense. The SYG laws have no useful purpose whatsoever.

To illustrate how heavy handed the Republicans and NRA are, they recently pushed through the Tennessee legislature a law that says an employer cannot prevent an employee or anyone else from bringing a loaded firearm onto the employer's property. They use big government tactics to attack the property rights of business owners.

All SYG laws should be eliminated as soon as possible. They are bad laws that add nothing to personal safety.

[reality_sanity]

by TheWizard_ April 19, 2012 4:04 PM EDT
@USA, Wrong! Zimmerman was approaching Martin to see who he was. Hardly stalking.

----

Wrong again Wiz -- George gave Trayvon a self-defense claim under Florida's SYG statute, which Trayvon did not at first consider using -- Trayvon RETREATED -- confirmed by two witnesses (one if which was George who was wrong not to consider Trayvon's running away as retreat from a threatening pursuer (stalker by definition)).

[Ourdoc1]

Keep in mind Legislators in Florida, the way the law is written, I can come up to you, say I feel threatened and use deadly force legally to "stand my ground" against YOU.

[reality_sanity]

While the law makers are at it I suggest they clearly state the intent of the law is to protect LIFE and not property. Few states have any capital offenses dealing with the theft of property, this law should not permit an individual to exceed those boundaries. It should also require the individual taking any such aggressive action to provide a reasonable explanation for the need to do so - such as proof of means of inflicting significant physical harm and some indications of something beyond a paranoid belief or statistically (often inaccurate) justification such as actual observed aggressive action(s).

[reality_sanity]

I believe the Governor has already lost the position that Florida legislators do not have preconceived ideas about changes to this law. The Original Authors of the SYG statute already believe PURSUIT negates any claim of self-defense. People like TheWizard need those lawmakers to spell that out in the law using simple words to convey that their belief they can act as vigilantes chasing down merely suspicious persons IS NOT PROTECTED UNDER THE SYG statute.

[deweymatch1161]

Once again, it's the Trayvon Martin /George Zimmerman daily news briefs. Isn't anyone getting tired of hearing about this? Also, Marvin Washington Jr., the adult man employed by McDonald's who spit in the ladies drinks... is there a reason that the story is no longer found on news websites? Hey U.S., here's a clue: Zimmerman needs to be put in prison for the rest of his life, if he's convicted of killing a man in cold blood, and Marvin Washington needs to be put in prison for at least a year to have time to think about the problems that spitting in people's drinks can cause i.e., virus, diseases, germs, etc. Actually they're both pretty disgusting individuals. Put both of them on an island together, except don't let Zimmerman carry his gun with him. They can spit on each other.

[occupy_cbs]

USA-is-back: "and don't be like Zimmerman and stalk someone at night!"




.....and don't stalk someone at night in the pouring rain, without wearing a law enforcement uniform or identifying badge, especially if the person only "looks suspicious," and has done nothing illegal.

[occupy_cbs]

TheWizard: "If a young violent black dude starts assaulting me, I'll take him out, the same way this Zimmerman did."



Why does "he" have to be black, and how would you know "he's" violent, if it was you stalking him without wearing any uniform or identifying badges. Seems that Trayvon Martin was the one that should have been able to defend himself from a violent cop wannabe.

[occupy_cbs]

costaricabob: "If this law is repealed, then criminals will have a field day again with home invasions with homeowners not able to protect themselves"



While the NRA gun nutz are parroting exactly what you are, a 17-member task force that will include attorneys, judges, and a prosecutor, without "preconceived notions" about what to recommend, will only examine the law for flaws and most likely not recommend repeal.

For example, the Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine would not provide for protection of someone to do what has been reportedly done in Florida. The stand-your-ground component of PA's law would require -- if you're not in your home or vehicle or place of business -- if you are out and about and you believe that your life is threatened, then the person threatening your life has to have some type of a weapon to do it. You can't just claim self-defense and pull the trigger. The criminal element has to have a weapon that they could use to inflict bodily harm and ultimately seriously hurt you in order for you to use deadly force.

Most states already have laws that protect citizens from home invasions by the criminal element, and I certainly cannot see the state of Florida removing that right, so stop your political rhetoric and FEARmongering!