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JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)

4. These Stand Your Groundlaws place the responsibility and privilege of making certain decisions about

Sun Jun 10, 2012, 04:38 PM

Jun 2012

whether a self-defense defense applies in a case too heavily on police officers and politically appointed DAs.

The old laws were just fine. A defendant should be able to plead the defense of self-defense, but should bear a burden of proving that the self-defense was reasonable. And deciding whether an act was reasonable should usually be a jury's job.

These SYG laws are going to increase the amount of brutal killing in our country. We already have too much of it.

These laws encourage a lone ranger, lynching mentality.

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Trayvon Martin Case Prompts Civil Rights Commission Investigation On Stand Your Ground Laws [View all] Tx4obama Jun 2012 OP

A link to additional article, below Tx4obama Jun 2012 #1

Long overdue. kestrel91316 Jun 2012 #2

Yes. nm rhett o rick Jun 2012 #3

Finally ~ why the delay on fighting goclark Jun 2012 #10

These Stand Your Groundlaws place the responsibility and privilege of making certain decisions about JDPriestly Jun 2012 #4

Exactly. n/t Hoyt Jun 2012 #5

Absolutely agree. nt chknltl Jun 2012 #7

you think duty to retreat was just? gejohnston Jun 2012 #13

The presumption is that you should not kill anyone, that murder is never justified. JDPriestly Jun 2012 #18

might want to take a second look gejohnston Jun 2012 #27

The prosecutor only files charges if there is a question as to whether the murder was justified. JDPriestly Jun 2012 #28

I didn't coin the term. gejohnston Jun 2012 #30

The correct translation from the Old Testament is "Thou Shalt not murder" ... spin Jun 2012 #33

Yes. I understand the Commandment in those terms and agree with you. JDPriestly Jun 2012 #37

That is your view ... spin Jun 2012 #42

Hogwash Major Nikon Jun 2012 #21

hogwash gejohnston Jun 2012 #24

Feel free to list when "presumption of innocence" was suspended in the US, because I can't find it Major Nikon Jun 2012 #31

why not look up the law? gejohnston Jun 2012 #32

You should have read it yourself before you commented Major Nikon Jun 2012 #35

Did you actually read the two situations where the aggressor hack89 Jun 2012 #38

Did you actually read this thread? Major Nikon Jun 2012 #41

I was just pointing out that the exceptions are very limited. That's all. nt hack89 Jun 2012 #43

The exception is big enough to drive a Mack truck through Major Nikon Jun 2012 #44

No - it says the other guy can't kill you for starting a fist fight or verbal confrontation. hack89 Jun 2012 #46

That's not what it says Major Nikon Jun 2012 #47

No - there is still the reasonable man standard hack89 Jun 2012 #50

So how do you account for the fact that the law doesn't say what you're claiming? Major Nikon Jun 2012 #52

That has been the standard for self defense for at least 15 years hack89 Jun 2012 #53

Did you read the actual law ? hack89 Jun 2012 #51

OK, I've had enough Major Nikon Jun 2012 #54

No problem - interpreting statutes can get complicated hack89 Jun 2012 #56

I did read it. gejohnston Jun 2012 #45

Right. For example, in the Zimmerman case, if the case went to trial, JDPriestly Jun 2012 #40

So rather than trust in the jury system, you'd rather leave it up to police csziggy Jun 2012 #22

actually not true gejohnston Jun 2012 #23

No they don't. AtheistCrusader Jun 2012 #17

You are quite incorrect as to the nature of SYG laws ProgressiveProfessor Jun 2012 #25

They never had unaccountable power. The DA, for one, is usually an elected official, not JDPriestly Jun 2012 #39

FL is unique in that regards ProgressiveProfessor Jun 2012 #48

As for example, when someone is robbing a convenience store at gunpoint. JDPriestly Jun 2012 #49

A possibility for something good to come from Trayvan Martin's ... etherealtruth Jun 2012 #6

From the beginning, it's the only positive outcome I've seen coming from this tragedy. . . Journeyman Jun 2012 #11

The way racism affects SYG, they MUST look at this case: chknltl Jun 2012 #8

From what I have read and heard about it asjr Jun 2012 #9

because you have been ill informed gejohnston Jun 2012 #14

Yup. Exactly what the media wants you to believe ... spin Jun 2012 #34

Finally. jwirr Jun 2012 #12

Maybe they should focus on Texas too ...ya think? L0oniX Jun 2012 #15

Thank Goodness! patrice Jun 2012 #16

K&R. Long overdue. Remember Marissa Alexander. Overseas Jun 2012 #19

No - she got 20 years for leaving the situation and then coming back with a gun. nt hack89 Jun 2012 #55

They need to look at WHO is advancing the passage of SYG. Ford_Prefect Jun 2012 #20

Wonder if they are ever going to look into the ongoing capricious use of hate crime enhancements ProgressiveProfessor Jun 2012 #26

The Unholy Trinity: Koch Brothers, ALEC, and the NRA crunch60 Jun 2012 #29

No bad thing in reviewing and reassessing any piece of legislation... LanternWaste Jun 2012 #36