Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law" Results In Unjustified Shootings of People Too
Epic And Samson
Florida's Stand Your Ground Law is one of the main reasons that the shooter of Epic and Samson escaped prosecution. It has also resulted in some questionable shootings of people too. The St. Petersburg Times published an interesting article showing that "justifiable homicide" claims have gone up in the last five years since its enactment. The full article can be read here. This is a must read article for anyone who wants to see how the law has affected the use of deadly force across the state.
Florida averaged about 34 justifiable homicides a year before the law was passed in 2006. Since then that number has been about a 100 per year. In other words, the rate has tripled.
As predicited by the Miami Police Chief when the law was passed:
"Whether it's trick-or-treaters or kids playing in the yard of someone who doesn't want them there or some drunk guy stumbling into the wrong house, you're encouraging people to possibly use deadly physical force where it shouldn't be used.''
According to Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp, the intent of the law was "that you can only use the same amount of force as you believe will be used against you. It certainly wasn't that you can shoot and kill somebody wielding a souvenir baseball bat."
However, there is no provision specifically barring someone with a permit from bringing a gun to a knife fight, which is a loophole a killer could drive a truck through.
Has Florida turned into the Wild West? It certainly seems like it, when someone can walk out into the street at dinnertime in a residential neighborhood and shoot two Great Danes with impunity.
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