Loosening of 'stand your ground' law dies in House panel (FL)

[Baitball Blogger]

TALLAHASSEE — A push to alter Florida's contentious "stand your ground" law may be dead for the coming year despite the support of several Republican legislators and the National Rifle Association.

A Florida House panel on Tuesday narrowly voted down a proposal to change the existing law to require prosecutors to prove a person on trial using the `stand your ground' defense was not in fact acting in self-defense.

The vote came even though the NRA and Florida's public defenders testified for the need for the change. Rep. Dennis Baxley, an Ocala Republican and sponsor of the state's existing law, said he sponsored the bill to respond to recent court rulings.

"Folks, you are talking about a basic tenet of American justice," said Baxley. "This is the difference in being here and in Russia. You are innocent until proven guilty … We would rather allow a guilty person go free than convict an innocent one."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-stand-your-ground-bill-20151117-story.html

[Fred Sanders]

1. Reversing the onus to the dead victim to prove they were not shot dead in self-defence is insane.

A crushing victory for sanity....and proving yet again the insanity of the NRA.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. Can you imagine the abusive nature of that premise?

The man could stalk you, confront you in a parking lot and claim that he feared for his life because of bad neighbor relationships.