Florida's New "Shoot if you feel Threatened" Law on NPR "TOTN" Now!

[Up2Late]

(I'm not making any predictions about what will be said, but it's on now!)

Florida's New Gun Law Loosens Curbs

On-line audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET

Talk of the Nation, May 2, 2005 · Florida residents can now meet force with force -- and shoot to kill to defend themselves -- inside or outside of their homes. The change is the result of the "Stand Your Ground" measure signed into law by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Gun lobbyists recently announced plans to introduce the measure in other states. We discuss self-defense and the law.

Guests:

Leslie Clark, political reporter, The Miami Herald

George Fletcher, Cardozo Professor of Jurisprudence at Columbia Law School

State Rep. Dennis Baxley, (R-Ocala); sponsor of the "Stand Your Ground" bill in the Florida House

Rep. Dan Gelber, (D-Miami Beach); Florida representative opposed to the "Stand Your Ground " bill

[CottonBear]

1. Mental note: Scratch FL from vaction list.

No way would I go to Miami now.
This has all the makings of a Carl Hiassen novel.
:scared:

[JDPriestly]

2. Criminal Defense Attorneys' Paradise

This is going to be great for gangs and Mafia guys. Hard to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they didn't shoot in self-defense. Or is the law somewhat less generous to defendants?

[sidwill]

4. EXACTLY!!

Your take on the issue will eventually be the reason it will be reversed. Although I think there is an inherent danger in telling people to use deadly force as a first option I agree that the bigger harm to society will come from criminal defense attorneys citing this law in defense of their clients.

When the people of Florida start seeing violent offenders beating the rap because of this abomination, you will start to see a backlash against the repukes......if the Dems have the balls to call them out on it.

[The White Tree]

5. That's kind of ironic, when you think about it....

I just saw some e-mail posts this morning on CNN, I beleive, about gun laws, and I have encountered this when talking with other pro-gun people recently.

The common response about what to do about violence in our country seems to be that their are enough gun laws but that we just do not enforce them properly.

So here's the irony, now the "Pro-gun" lobby (the NRA) seeks to establish throughout the country a law that could make it tougher to apply the law to people who use guns; the opposite of what they say they want.

Seems the people pushing this law think the only time a gun is used inncorrectly is in the act of committing another type of crime such as robbery.

Or maybe they just long for the days of the Old West.

I wonder how this law deals with things like "collateral damage". For example if I was defending myself and accidentally killed an innocent bystander.

[Up2Late]

6. Their's no irony, that's been the N.R.A. strategy for years now.

You wrote:

"...here's the irony, now the "Pro-gun" lobby (the NRA) seeks to establish throughout the country a law that could make it tougher to apply the law to people who use guns; the opposite of what they say they want..."

This Law was most likely written by the N.R.A., just like * let's the Energy Lobbyist write the "Energy Reform Bill."

What you quoted, "...their are enough gun laws but that we just do not enforce them properly..."

That's total, 100% N.R.A. Spin. It's totally ridiculous, but it's exactly what the N.R.A. members want to hear.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

3. So, how long

before that law is flushed in a flurry of horrifying wrongful-death lawsuits?