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MA Sen. Stephen Brewer promotes expanding citizen's rights to use deadly force in self-defense
The Republican ^

Posted on 03/27/2012 5:35:35 PM PDT by matt04

A state senator from Western Massachusetts is advocating for a bill that would expand a person's right to use deadly force in self-defense without first making an attempt at a retreat.

Under the legislation by Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, a Barre Democrat, the state would expand its current "Castle Doctrine," which says a person has no duty to retreat from intruders at home before using deadly force.

Brewer's bill would expand that Castle principle to using deadly force in public anyplace the person has a right to be. The principle is called the Stand Your Ground Principle. More than two dozen states have passed either the Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground or both, according to the Associated Press.

...

Under Brewer's bill, called Senate 661, or an Act Relative to the Common Defense, people could use deadly force, or less than deadly force, in self-defense and in public to defend others any place they have a right to be. There would be no duty to retreat from any place that they have a right to be.

"It's just a matter of protecting yourself under strictly-defined circumstances," said Brewer, who is chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. "I don't think anybody wants to go back to the Wild West."

Current law in Massachusetts allows people to use deadly force in their homes with no duty to retreat. An occupant must have used "reasonable means" to defend himself or such other person lawfully in said dwelling. Deadly force is not limited to use of a firearm, but could be a knife, baseball bat or other weapon.

Rep. Benjamin Swan, a Springfield Democrat, said he would oppose a "stand your ground" bill for Massachusetts. Swan said it could endanger public safety.

(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: banglist; barre; castledoctrine; stephenbrewer

1 posted on 03/27/2012 5:35:42 PM PDT by matt04
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To: matt04

Do it...


2 posted on 03/27/2012 5:43:58 PM PDT by jcsjcm (This country was built on exceptionalism and individualism. In God we Trust - Laus Deo)
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To: matt04; GOPsterinMA
"Rep. Benjamin Swan, a Springfield Democrat, said he would oppose a "stand your ground" bill for Massachusetts. Swan said it could endanger public safety criminals."

Fixed it.

3 posted on 03/27/2012 5:49:26 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj
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To: fieldmarshaldj

One word: Revolver.

Julie Condra on Thw Wonder Years, tonight and tomorrow on the Hub Channel!


4 posted on 03/27/2012 6:03:11 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Has Mittens won one "Red State" yet?)
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To: GOPsterinMA

Don’t forget the Kleenex.


5 posted on 03/27/2012 6:19:48 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj
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To: fieldmarshaldj

You bet!

Are you watching?


6 posted on 03/27/2012 6:23:43 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Has Mittens won one "Red State" yet?)
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To: GOPsterinMA

Nope. Don’t have that channel. I’m off to get some rest, had a disastrous past 24 or so hours where the computer is concerned. That year and a half old Toshiba bit the big one out of the blue (complete motherboard failure, not worth the trouble of replacing), had to get a new computer today and set it up. The folks at Best Buy are copying the harddrive to a CD since I had stupidly failed to back up some files for the past few months. Hopefully they won’t find anything funny in them... I’ll just tell ‘em the midget cowboy pudding wrestling porn is my father’s. *cough*


7 posted on 03/27/2012 6:48:15 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj
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To: fieldmarshaldj

Toshiba? Really? I’m surprised, as they tend to rate high in terms of quality and reliability.

Always back up! Always. Same as always wear a rubber. :)

That porn is definitely your Dad’s! You’d NEVER look at that stuff!

Rest up!


8 posted on 03/27/2012 7:03:19 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Has Mittens won one "Red State" yet?)
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To: matt04

This guy is my state senator and I about drove off the road when I heard this on the radio this morning.

Support it all the way, I may even have to vote for a Democrat for the first time in my life to support him.


9 posted on 03/27/2012 7:26:23 PM PDT by Peter from Rutland
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To: matt04

In Massachusetts?

Hahahahahahahahaaaaa!

Oh, thank you - I needed a good laugh.


10 posted on 03/28/2012 1:33:44 AM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: Peter from Rutland

C’mon, Petey. You’re a vocal supporter of Willard. It ain’t your first time.


11 posted on 03/28/2012 8:44:05 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj
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