Fla. Task Force Wants Major Changes To “Stand Your Ground” Law

CBS Miami/AP ^ | April 30, 2012

[Free ThinkerNY]

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) —Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law should undergo major changes but not be repealed, according to an independent task force created in the wake of the Travyon Martin shooting.

State Sen. Chris Smith, who organized a panel of legal experts to look at the state’s “stand your ground” law, delivered recommendations to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders on Monday.

[redgolum]

In other words, you must be killed rather than defend yourself.

[ladyjane]

You kind of had to read this carefully - this is just a dim Florida senator convening his own panel of “experts” - not the Guv’s panel:

Separate but equal?

[budwiesest]

means there can be no civil jury trial jackpot as a matter of law.

Thanks for bringing this up. These civil suits are not easily understood where evidence rules differ from criminal trials and yet, can lead to monetary awards nonetheless. I'm not a lawyer and don't play one on TV so I'm not sure what the purposes for these suits are.

As others have said, stand your ground probably doesn't apply if Trayvon was the aggressor and Zimmerman was getting his head pounded into the ground. Tray's last words were something like, "Okay, you got it." My interpretation is Tray didn't know/think/imagine his 'victim' had a weapon but acknowledged it after it went off in his chest.

Trayvon was a victim of a false narrative generated by the left that white men are cowards, buffoons, and generally wimps. Television reinforces this image daily in most commercials and many popular shows. Hollywood and Wall Street killed Trayvon by generating a false image of a people he might otherwise have had a healthier respect. Movie writers and ad agencies basically convinced Trayvon that it was OK to put your head in an alligator's mouth, as long as it was white.

Sharpton and others have made it their mission to 'tame' the white alligator so the lie remains feasible and race relations continue to favor blacks whose crimes against whites go unnoticed. The first black President, by weighing in, is doing his part to further the falsehood that gives blacks that false sense of security. But here's the bad news: if the so-called black leaders don't do something to educate their youth to the reality of white people in general, many more Trayvons will suffer a similar fate. And, the blood will be on their hands.

[Aunt Polgara]

>>A not guilty verdict AND/or a ruling by the judge that stand your ground applies means there can be no civil jury trial jackpot as a matter of law.<<

Yes, for sure, if Z is exonerated in a self-defense hearing before a judge, he is immune from civil liability, but are you sure about a not guilty verdict by a jury means no civil trial jackpot in FL?

At least here in CA, a not guilty verdict could easily be followed by a civil jackpot, ala OJ Simpson.

[Cboldt]

At his point, in order to get immunity, Zimmerman needs a ruling by the judge. That can happen any time before the jury is charged with rendering a verdict. If the jury is charged, then Zimmerman will not obtain civil immunity.

[Aunt Polgara]

Thanks, Cboldt. I didn’t realize it could go that far.