Stand Your Ground: 26 US States Have “Shoot First” Laws

[ErikJ]

Hal Sparks called it the "Snuff your Witness Law" on the Stephanie Miller Show yesterday.

Stand Your Ground: 26 US States Have “Shoot First” Laws
By Lisa Mahapatra
on July 18 2013 9:21 AM

Though George Zimmerman did not end up invoking Florida's "stand your ground" law in his defense, it was clearly the reason police did not arrest the neighborhood watchman for almost two months after he shot black teen Trayvon Martin dead, and the law has come under intense scrutiny since Zimmerman's acquittal last weekend.
“Stand Your Ground” laws, also known as “Shoot First” laws, shield individuals who use deadly force to injure or kill, provided that the shooter can convince a judge that he or she had a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm. The individual has no duty to retreat from a confrontation before engaging in the act of deadly force.

There are currently 26 U.S. states that have “Shoot First” laws similar to that of Florida’s, according to the Law Center To Prevent Gun Violence. Check out this infographic for more insights:



http://www.ibtimes.com/stand-your-ground-26-us-states-have-shoot-first-laws-1351127

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. Did Wyoming repeal its “castle doctrine” law whereby a person is presumed to act in self defense

when using deadly force against someone who illegally forces his or her way into the defender’s home?

In 2011, the Wyoming legislature even expanded the presumption to cover “any structure designed for overnight accomodation,” such as buildings, trailers, campers and tents. Conceivably, even a vehicle could be considered to be a structure designed for overnight accommodation.

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/more-than-new-wyoming-laws-take-effect-today/article_06f36938-a968-5b72-8fe3-aed7f2945d15.html

Under the Wyoming statute, no one has a duty to retreat when someone has illegally entered their home or structure designed for overnight accommodation.

Since the map seems to be innacurate, how does it contribute to a rational discussion?