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Possible Changes For Self Defense

November 7th, 2013 by flanews

State lawmakers are met in Tallahassee discussing the controversial Stand Your Ground Law. Part of the discussion is about altering the 10-20-life law so someone can protect themselves with a gun without using deadly force.


It’s been an ongoing argument in Florida – shoot to kill or shoot to warn? The choice may allow you to walk free or spend years behind bars at a state prison.

“We don’t want laws to tell society that you shoot and kill somebody to make sure you don’t have to go to jail because a dead man can’t talk,” said Ben Crump, Trayvon Martin family attorney.

The consequences of firing but not killing came to light in the case of Marissa Alexander, the Jacksonville woman who fired a warning shot at her husband and got 20 years in prison.

Currently, if you pull a gun, it’s a mandatory ten years in prison, if you fire it and its 20 years.

Based on the Alexander case, a Governor’s task force recommended changing the law. State Representative Neil Combee says there should by a way to protect yourself without killing someone.

“Shoot to kill is a bad idea. I think that most people, I think its human nature most people don’t want to shoot anybody,” said Representative Combee.

State prosecutors don’t want the 10-20-Life law changed, but police agencies are open to change.

“20 years for people who really haven’t physically harmed anybody, you start thinking man we need to find a way from preventing this from happening,” said Representative Combee.

A Senate Committee has already passed minor changes to Stand Your Ground, but it did not address 10-20-life changes.

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