George Zimmerman. Several accused murderers have successfully used Florida’s 2005 ‘Stand Your Ground’ law to prove they were the
Read more articles from our Trayvon Martin Watch.
s the investigation of Trayvon Martin’s killing continues, one of the biggest unanswered questions has been what Florida law is the basis for the police department’s decision not to arrest the man who confessed to Martin’s killing, George Zimmerman.
A blog post shared with us on Twitter yesterday by the Coalition To Stop Gun Violence sheds some light on this subject. Here’s the relevant excerpt:
The reluctance of the Sanford Police Department to arrest Zimmerman probably has something to do with Florida’s outrageous “Stand Your Ground” law. The law removes the duty of individuals to retreat from a confrontation and allows them to use deadly force if they reasonably believe that it is necessary to prevent death or “great bodily harm.” “Stand Your Ground” legislation was enacted in 2005 after being championed in the Florida state legislature by National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer. In support of the law, Hammer said, “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding heart criminal coddlers want you to give a criminal an even break, so that when you’re attacked, you’re supposed to turn around and run, rather than standing your ground and protecting yourself and your family and your property.” But critics in Florida’s legal community dubbed it the “Shoot First” law and said that it “encourages people to stand their ground … when they could just as easily walk away.” It has also been pointed out that the law “give[s] citizens more rights to use deadly force than we give police officers, and with less review.” A report by the South Florida Sun Sentinel vindicated these complaints, concluding, “several…accused murderers have successfully used [Florida’s] 2005 ‘Stand Your Ground’ law to prove they were the real victims.”
Related Article
56 Years Later, America Gets a New Emmett Till … Trayvon Martin
Since 2005, Florida has had more than 344 justifiable murders under their “Shoot First” law, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Here are three cases in which the “Shoot First” law exonerated defendants, as described by the South Florida Sun Sentinel:
- In May 2010, a judge dismissed murder charges against two black Tallahassee men accused of killing a teen, sparking outrage among state prosecutors, who have since called for the law to be repealed.
- In May 2010, a Palm Beach County jury acquitted Timothy McTigue of second-degree murder in the death of Michael Palmer, 23. The two got into a fight in Riviera Beach and McTigue shot Palmer in the back of the head as Palmer got out of the water near a floating dock.
- In 2007, a jury acquitted Norman Borden of murder when he shot and killed two men who threatened him as he walked his four dogs near his home in West Palm Beach.
This law and its effect on criminal justice in Florida are shocking. According to the Tampa Bay Times:
The 2005 law gives you the right to protect yourself in a park, outside a Chili’s, on a highway — just about anywhere.
You need only to “reasonably believe” that pulling the trigger or plunging the knife or swinging the bat is necessary to stop the other person from hurting you.
What’s more, the paper found:
Reports of justifiable homicides tripled after the law went into effect, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Last year, twice a week, on average, someone’s killing was considered warranted.
The self-defense law — known as “stand your ground” — has been invoked in at least 93 cases with 65 deaths, a St. Petersburg Times review found.
In the majority of the cases, the person’s use of force was excused by prosecutors and the courts.
The Sun Sentinel adds:
The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association unsuccessfully fought passage of the law, saying it would turn Florida into the Wild West. A jury should have the final say about whether force was justified, they argued.
At least 14 other states — including Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky — have passed similar laws since Florida’s went on the books.
About the Author
I live in Brevard County Florida. Just as everything this is misunderstood in the media. Zimmerman’s grandfather was a judge in Brevard County Florida ( I know he was a judge here but I did not verify the exact location in Florida yet). The Brevard County State Attorney drove from Brevard County to the City of Sanford (approx. 75 miles from his office) on Sunday night and prevented the detectives on the case from filling charges against George Zimmerman. I live in Brevard County Florida and it is all over the local news. Why has the national media ignored these facts? George Zimmerman’s mother is an immigrant Hispanic and his father is a Jewish man but from what I read he is not practicing Judaism. Sort of like if you ask a person if they are Christian and they say yes but have not been to church since a child.
So if you are a racist and go along racist lines of thought which seems to be predominating this issue and you ask a white racist (which I am not). George Zimmerman does not fit the requirements of being “White”. Sorry to disappoint everyone but this is just another case of the controlled media dividing the 99% for the benefit of the 1%. As Hitler said “If you say a lie often enough and long enough it becomes the truth”. Seems to me a whole bunch of very willing Hitlers in this issue.
Seek the truth before writing lies often enough and long enough. Yes George Zimmerman is by all likelihood guilty. Not guilty of being a white racist though, that is impossible. If you just say George Zimmerman is a racist, yes he is. Just a racist with political connections. Not a white racist because according to white racists standards he is not white. Please stop all this white/black/black/white hate. Whoever you are saying lies and hate is just wrong.
[...] Stand Your Ground Law allows victims to pull the trigger on aggressors when they “reasonably believe” doing so is [...]
[...] In championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding-heart criminal coddlers want [...]
[...] In championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding-heart criminal coddlers want [...]
[...] In championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding-heart criminal coddlers want [...]
MANSLAUGHTER WAS COMMITED. WHAT IS FLORIDA GONNA DO??
nothin to do with race, nothin to do with confrontation or not. Zimmerman killed the child, and mistakenly. ‘commited manslaughter, abuse, and child murder. WHAT IS FLORIDA GONNA DO ABOUT IT??.
George Zimmerman is a murderer. If he stands on this law of “self-protection”, he is standing on a lie. He was not attacked. He called 911 to cover himself and I think it will eventually be used against him. This law protects you, ONLY if you are attacked and fear for your life. The 911 tapes make it clear who was attacked and who killed who. A young boy, armed with a drink and some candy being chased down by an older man with a gun is the innocent victim of a crime. He ran for his life, was chased down and murdered in the neighborhood that he was visiting by a man who had a record, who should not have been able to obtain a gun legally and who liked being a part of a “neighborhood watch”. I don’t believe in the death penalty but I might make an exception in this case!
Thank you for having such a kind heart for this young child,
I beleive in everything you had to say and it’s people like you that can see exactly what took place. God Bless you and your Beautiful Family.
James A (from E.L.A)
Yes everything he said is true. Albeit, George Zimmerman’s Grandfather was a Judge in Brevard County, Fl. which is a county next to the County where the City of Sanford is. The Brevard County State Attorney( which is similar to the District Attorney in most states and Commonwealths) drove on Sunday night 75 miles to The City of Sanford and prevented the Detectives from charging him with a crime. These facts are only in the local news. Why did the State Attorney do this? Why are these facts not being reported in the national news?
I know Ilive in Brevard County and it is on the t>v> and printed media. I cannot find these facts on-line nor in the national T.V. media’s.
WHY?
[...] championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding heart criminal coddlers want [...]
[...] In championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding heart criminal coddlers want you to [...]
[...] In championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding heart criminal coddlers want [...]
[...] is not prosecuted and made an example of then in states with "license to kill" or a "shoot first" laws no one’s life has value. While it may be easier to get away with killing the [...]
I believe that you should be able to protect yourself and property but not to the point where you kill somebody. you can simply just scare a person by a warning shot. I use to work at a prison and if a connvict/inmate assaulted you we couldnt just beat them till he or she is dead you have to use the least amount of force. I pray that the story is not true about Zimmeran shooting Trayvan aftet he is down on the ground, if so that was cowardly thing to do. My heart goes out to the family of Trayva
[...] In championing the law, former NRA president and longtime Florida gun lobbyist Marion Hammer said: “Through time, in this country, what I like to call bleeding heart criminal coddlers want [...]
This is the true face of the NRÅ.
As the father of a gun violence victim, I sympathize deeply with the family of Trayvon. Once again, the only difference between a “lawful gun owner” and a criminal is pulling the trigger. Trayvon’s murderer should not be able to get away with this. Shoot first laws are a mis-guided effort by a very small group of unsocialized cowards who just can’t seem to get along with anyone. Fortunately, though this man cannot be tried in criminal court, Trayvon’s family can sue him for wrongful death in civil court. I hope they take him for everything he has. It will not make up for Trayvon’s death, but it will send a message to all those “lawful gun owners” out there that they had better think twice before pulling the trigger because the life they ruin may be their own.
I do believe that people have the right to defend themself. However, that said, the problem is this law is based upon the belief of reason. Even the most educated people can lose their temper, and most people are far from educated in the United States. The end result is that whatever the community considers reasonable ends up becoming the difference between a murder charge and “standing your ground.” If you are a minority or a poor person, and the other person involved is rich or white or both, you know as well as I do who will get the murder charge and who will not. If Trayvon Martin had “stood his ground,” he would be on his way to the pen, whereas Zimmerman, as an affluent Jewish person, had little doubt to believe that the court system would see it any other way. If I am attacked, I will stand my ground, but since I am just poor white trash, I know that the law will not defend me- unless it is another poor person. I was walking back from my job at McDonald’s to my college dorm room when I lived in TN, and a pickup truck full of fraternity brothers decided to throw beer bottles at me. If I had (rightfully) beat them down, I know I would have went to jail, and these frat boys would have gotten away with it, because they are rich/upper middle class, and I am just poor white trash. If it had been black or hispanic people who had done it, I could get away with it, but then again, Ive never in my life had a black person or a hispanic person insult me for being poor, let alone attack me.
Um… it appears that George Zimmerman is actually of part-Latino ethnicity and nowhere have I read anything suggesting he had lots of money. Let’s not compound the tragic racism of this case with anti-Semitism.
How do you have a right to ‘Stand Your Ground’ when you are the initiator. That so-called right of defense would seemingly apply to Trayvon Martin more so than George Zimmerman if that’s his claim. #teamzimmerman-reachingforstraws
Exactly. Zimmerman chased the kid down. Hardly a case for “standing your ground”. I knew this law would justify a bunch of murders. SMH