‘Stand your ground’ laws must be clarified

Milwaukee J-S ^ | 9 mar 2014 | James Causey

[rellimpank]

The mother of Trayvon Martin is on a mission. Her goal is to change the current "stand your ground" laws because these laws may make it more palatable for shooters to kill the person they are "scared of" rather than fire a warning shot.

Sybrina Fulton, 48, rarely grants interviews, but she told me last week that under current "stand your ground" laws, accountability is lost. Several cases show that if you kill the person because you claim you feared for your life, then you have a good chance to walk. But if you fire a warning shot to protect yourself, you could face up to 60 years in prison.

That's absurd; we need some common sense here.

Fulton said since her son was killed, she doesn't sleep much and her life has been flipped upside down. Before Feb. 26, 2012, Fulton said, she was just a "regular mom" who worked for the Miami Dade Housing Agency by developing educational programs for people living in Section 8 housing.

"My life was regular. I lived in a regular house, drove a regular car and my life was my kids. We took one vacation a year and worked hard," she said. "But after my son was killed, my family was thrust into the national spotlight."

Martin, 17, was walking to his father's home in Sanford, Fla., when he was approached, followed and later killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Zimmerman thought Martin "looked suspicious."

[Navy Patriot]

A few observations:

The purpose of the article seems to be to sell $50 tickets to see this broad speak and racebait.

Correct, the comments completely destroy the entire contents of the article, and the race card they were written on.

A "right to fire warning shots" law can promoted completely independent of Stand Your Ground laws.

I cannot think of a situation where warning shots are completely safe for bystanders and would be a good idea.

[12Gauge687]

Yes, it is. After the mainstream media got ahold of this story, they made the kid look like a misguided choirboy (almost always pictured at age 10). I spoke to several police officers, including a Chicago gang-unit officer, and an FBI agent who all stated that the Florida neighborhood had had trouble with outsiders and the neighborhood watch was doing its part in trying to reduce the uptick in crime. According to these officers, George Zimmerman was in fear for his life by a teenager who may have been under the influence of a homemade intoxicant (ingredients had been acquired by Martin).

Unfortunately, I live in a “blue” state, Illinois, that believes in retreat, which Joe Biden doesn’t even seem to endorse, however wasteful (of ammo).

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

How about standing my ground, motherf’r?

[bikerman]

The mother of Trayvon Martin is on a mission

Maybe if momma spent more time on a mission of raising Trayvon he would be now alive and doing well.

[trebb]

I believe it should be clarified at least weekly as part of public service announcements.

Attention: This is a public service announcement.

We have Stand Your Ground Laws in this great State. That means that if a thug intimidates/molests/attacks a lawful citizen for no apparent justifiable reason, said citizen can shoot the perpetrator without being prosecuted.

Did you get that thugs? If you attack and harm others, or refuse to grant a buffer zone to those who try to keep from close proximity, due to your intimidating demeanor, you are likely to be shot and killed; and the person who shoots you will not be arrested.

End of public service message.

[GOPJ]

vomit...

[stocksthatgoup]

Who is shooting them, while you are firing your warning shot. Do criminals need to fire warning shots too?

[catnipman]

Police are taught to never fire warning shots or to shoot to wound; they are taught that if life is in danger and shots must be fired to protect life then they must make the surest shot to stop the danger, namely a center-mass shot.

Why should any citizen who fears the loss of their life as a consequence of the violent act of another be required to follow a different standard than the police? Why is a policeman’s life more valuable than mine?

[DoodleDawg]

After that trial in Jacksonville I’m not saying Stand Your Ground laws may have to be clarified. But as has been pointed out ad nauseum, Stand Your Ground was not claimed by the defense in the Martin case. That was a simple matter of self-defense.

[GOPJ]

But as has been pointed out ad nauseum, Stand Your Ground was not claimed by the defense in the Martin case. That was a simple matter of self-defense.

You're right - it WAS simple self defense. But liberals know their base is stupid so they lie to them. They tell them this sob story is about 'stand your ground' when it's not... one more race card lie.

Then the 'press' being the lapdog of liberals goes along with the lie. Plenty of shame to go around - but they're past the point of being able to see or feel it.

[VeniVidiVici]

As stated in the first response to you, the woman convicted by Corey is getting a new trial and the Florida legislature has worked on reversing the letter of the law that Corey used to convict her.

She should have been convicted and the only reason her case is going back to trail is because she's Black.

She left the house and away from her 'abusive' husband to the garage where she got a gun. Then went back into the house to confront her husband and fired at him. The so-called 'warning shot' is BS. She just plain missed him and the kids.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Sybrina is making big bucks as an agitator.

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t follow the gun market all that closely, to it’s easy for things to slip by me.

I believe this is the first I’ve heard of Glaser ammo. I checked it out online. Looks like a miniature shotgun shell for the most part.

Tell me, does it have stopping power? If you shoot someone with it, are they going to continue to come at you?

I like the idea of it. I’m must not familiar with it’s actual characteristics.

[Gen.Blather]

“Tell me, does it have stopping power? “

I did a quick look for the article I read on this. It said the GLaser round had the same lethality rating as a .45ACP. The .380 travels at 1200 fps and weights (If I recall) 93 grains. The .45 travels at 800fps. The deformation characteristics of the faster round meant that it hit with the same force as the .45. It stops at the target. It does not, however, penetrate deeply. But being hit by that much energy should stop a large man instantly. That’s my theory and that’s what I carry in the gun. (The seventh round is a full metal jacket which had a lethality of only 12 vs 45 (on the scale, not the caliber 45.)

Here’s a starter on ammo.

http://www.ar15.com/ammo/project/Self_Defense_Ammo_FAQ/index.htm#.38spl/.357mag

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks. I appreciate the response.

[mazda77]

Whatever you say. I had no idea you were right there to know ALL the facts. Now we ALL know better because you said so.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Any discussion of race and Zimmerman which doesn’t mention In 2010—Zimmerman Initiated A ‘Justice For Sherman Ware’ Campaign When NAACP Failed To Act is a whitewash of Fulton and Trayvon. As is any article about the case which insinuates no possible guilt to Trayvon relating to the fact that, aside from the fatal shot, Martin scarcely had a scratch on him but Zimmerman’s head was bloody - backing up eye witness testimony that Martin was in control of the struggle moments before the fatal shot was fired.

[VeniVidiVici]

Nope. You just now know the facts as they are as opposed to what’s reported

[Still Thinking]

Wait, what was Corey doing in JAX? I thought she was the lokel yokel down in Orlando area where GZ was tried. Does she tour the state, bringing her own special brand of prosecutorial malpractice to underprivileged defendants everywhere?