"Stand Your Ground" is nothing more than Legalized Lynching.

[juxtaposed]

Alec knew it NRA knew it and the Florida GOP knew it.
It was sold as such.

[TheWraith]

1. No.

I really wish people would stop posting ridiculous, overhyped claims about what the law is when they clearly don't know anything about the law. Virtually every state has "stand your ground" or equivalent laws. Despite all the fearmongering, it has nothing in common with how it's being described, nor does it in any way cover a situation like this except in the most fevered imaginations.

[juxtaposed]

5. not true, It was what it was sold as.

[TheWraith]

7. You can't make things true simply by asserting them.

Some people have been inside the bubble way too long.

[juxtaposed]

9. I have to laugh at your bubble b/s

I don't make things up. I know this is a silly law, very well, I know what I can do with this law. I know how it was sold to the repulican legislature, by campaine contrabutions. I also know I could shoot anyone if no one is around and clame "stand my ground". That's what it was writen for.

Castle Laws were already there.

[lacrew]

8. A strange take on SYG

If you believe Zimmerman's story that he was on his back, getting beat up...his is a typical self defense claim.

But, there may be a SYG element in Martin's behavior. If he felt threatened by Zimmerman, but not unable to get away, he would be expected to simply, well, run. And, he would probably be faster than Zimmerman, given his youth and football experience. However, SYG may have justified his staying and confronting Zimmerman.

I dunno...I'm not a lawyer. I just never thought Zimmerman had a SYG claim if he was a) Pursuing, or b) On the ground and in fear of his life. But, strangely, Martin may have been able to claim a SYG defense (if this had ended differently, with a live Martin and a severely injured Zimmerman).

But I agree, as little as I know about the law, the Zimmerman peg doesn't really fit the SYG hole.

[HelenWheels]

11. Treyvon is faster?

Could he outrun a bullet? I don't think so. You do know Zimmerman had a gun?

[lacrew]

12. Umm...yes I am aware

(And you are actually making the case for the SYG law, btw)

However, what I do not know, and what you certainly can't know, is Martin's cognizance of Zimmerman's gun. His decision on whether to run or not may not have been predicated on a gun at all.

You do know what you don't know, right?

[HelenWheels]

13. Not to run

His girlfriend advised him to run but he was afraid if he ran it would give the guy following him justification to go after him.

Explain how I made the case for the SYG law.

Sorry my post had a snotty tone to it. I really didn't mean to offend you.

[lacrew]

14. SYG

The essence of SYG is that the act of backing away from a fight, or running away, is dangerous to you.

Standard self defense laws have an embedded assumption that you had no way to escape the situation.

Lets say the outcome was different, and Martin was able to turn the gun on Zimmerman. SYG would support exoneration of Martin. One might say, Martin could not have run away, and certainly could not outrun a bullet from Zimmerman's gun...and his only choice was to stand his ground and fight him. However, standard self defense would not have exonerted Martin.

I think the SYG aspect of this event is a red herring.

If you believe Zimmerman's story, that he was on his back, one blow away from serious injury, he doesn't need SYG. Self defense requirments would have ben satisfied.

If you don't believe Zimmerman's story, and believe he attacked Martin, SYG does not apply.

So SYG has little to do with this case...but I'm left wondering if it allowed Martin to legally stand up against Zimmerman...instead of taking flight.

[JDPriestly]

2. Amen.

It is the fantasy of the Lone Ranger, John Wayne, Tombstone wanna-bes.

It does not work in today's urban society, assuming it ever worked.

And take that from someone whose ancestor was said to be "the best shot in the county" a long, long time ago.

[leftofcool]

3. Uh, no. It means I can protect myself and my property

[msongs]

6. TV versus human life. yep, no contest there nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. What could possibly go wrong?

Now we know.

[GopperStopper2680]

10. It sounds to me like a public license to kill.

And from what I can see that's what it's turned out to be. I certainly don't want it in my state.

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. This was a bipartisan law which passed with the votes of every Democrat in the Senate

Including the African-American ones.

[ges5626sek]

17. amen!