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Florida Sheriffs: Keep ‘Stand Your Ground’ As Written
August 10, 2013
The Florida Sheriffs Association is no longer neutral on the state’s controversial “stand your ground” law.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, the new president of the association, announced Friday that members agreed earlier this week without opposition to support the law “as currently written.”
“Our current judicial system is comprised of multiple checks and balances to ensure fair and equitable application of all laws, including ’stand your ground,’ ” Judd said in a prepared statement.
When the National Rifle Association-backed law was approved in 2005, the association remained neutral on the issue.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican who supports “stand your ground” and whose subcommittee will hold a hearing on the law, called it enlightening that a group that “has traditionally been tepid” on the law now “recognizes its value.”
“I think they recognize that Florida is a safer place when our citizens don’t have a duty to retreat and run,” Gaetz said.
The voice vote Tuesday came with 57 of the state’s sheriffs in attendance.
The law, which grants legal immunity to people who use deadly force if they reasonably believe their lives are in danger, is one of the targets of a group of protesters, led by the Hialeah-based Dream Defenders, who have remained around the clock at the Capitol for 25 days.
“Stand your ground” has come under heavy scrutiny since the July 13 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of teen Trayvon Martin in Seminole County. While Zimmerman’s defense team did not use the “stand your ground” law, the debate over the shooting at times focused on it.
The protesters also want legislation advanced that ends zero-tolerance school discipline policies and support initiatives meant to combat racial profiling.
As of Friday afternoon, 28 lawmakers — all Democrats —- have filed petitions with the Florida Department of State requesting a special session on the law.
The proposal is an effort to circumvent the opposition to a special session by Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leadership.
If 32 legislators make the request, all 160 legislators from both Republican-dominated chambers would be polled. A special session would be held only if three-fifths of the members supported the idea.
The sheriffs association took up the issue after House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said they would like to know the view of law enforcement on “stand your ground.”
Weatherford had said he would be open to considering changes if law enforcement clearly outlined that any changes were needed.
“I appreciate the input from the Florida Sheriffs Association regarding ’stand your ground,’ ” Weatherford said in an email Friday. “Getting feedback from Florida’s leaders in law enforcement is critical to the Legislature and will be important as we hold a hearing on the law later this fall.”
Weatherford has directed Gaetz’ Criminal Justice Subcommittee to hold a hearing this fall.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported that the protest attracted 38 people to spend Thursday night at the Capitol, confined to the area outside Scott’s office on the first floor. The number was up from 12 the night before.
The cost for Capitol police to watch the protesters has now reached $361,654, of which $143,017 is in overtime pay, according to the FDLE.
Comments
12 Responses to “Florida Sheriffs: Keep ‘Stand Your Ground’ As Written”
its a good law just those who abuse it give it a bad name. so your telling me if i abuse my car and cause a wreck your gonna make everyone else stop driving? get the picture. keep the law we have so much crime today we need it
REGARDING:
“to just say I was scared and pull a gun is not right.”
I think we all agree on that.
Unless it is misrepresented that is not a problem. According to the article above: “The law, which grants legal immunity to people who use deadly force if they reasonably believe their lives are in danger, is one of the targets of a group of protesters,”
“reasonably believe” is inherently a reasonable standard.
David for reasonable people
The law allows older people to whack others with their walking sticks when accosted, it also somewhat levels the fighting field when violence may occurs.
For young people, if someone is banging your head on the pavement and you cannot stand up you should be able to shoot them. You can only yell for help so long before you have a concussion or are dead.
How long must we submit to those with superior strength? The question should never have to be asked. The law is good! Way to go sheriffs.
Hurray !
If a lawmaker wants to repeal syg, they should have to give up their personal security at work and athome. They can just call 911 if they have a problem, just like they would like everyone else to do.
I support SYG, and feel a person should not have to retreat from a threat, but be able to defend his or herself, and their family.
LEO’s have to investigate an incident to determine if valid or not.
@Troubled, Stand your ground is a fine law, being scared is not enough to kill someone under stand your ground, it is simply one of the factors. A person still has to prove their life was in danger.
Stand Your Ground for freedom, Sheriffs. Thank you.
fifty-seven out of 67. Means ten not there for a voluntary meeting.
I think stand your ground is good. It is those who abuse it that give it a bad name. I feel the right to defend your self and family is everyone’s right, but to just say I was scared and pull a gun is not right. If someone is breaking in, or endangering you on your property is a reason to call the police then defend. I know there is going to be a lot said on this subject and I hope everyone uses their head.
“The voice vote Tuesday came with 57 of the state’s sheriffs in attendance.”
Seems low to me.
Is this a normal attendance?
There is always some security at the capital, so it would be good to know what security normally cost for comparison to these amounts.
It would also be good to know how much more actual security is on hand for the protest.
Having peaceful protest is very American while having a police state is not. I support SYG but the oppositions protesting should not be focused on some arbitrary cost of security.
It would also be nice to hear what others think who support the SYG Law but have ideas for how it should be tweaked.
Political issues almost never have only two sides to the debate and when they are framed as only having two sides, like in this article, that is generally the politics of those who wish no one to be informed and who want nothing done.
The difference is journalism. IMO.