Florida Stand-Your-Ground Law isn't that controversial, is it?

[Julie Fern]

julie agree.  this exactly why "reasonable belief" always has been historical standard.  if someone invading your home, "reasonable belief'" interpreted in that context.  after all, there only so many reasons someone crawling through your window at 3 a.m., etc.

julie believe zimmerman told twice by police dispatcher let police handle it.  "stand your ground" laws recipe for vigilantism, whatever else can be said about them.  julie still not clear on how syg laws change historical approach except that, at least in fla., it more problematic prosecute someone who use force--and that can swing two ways.

[Julie Fern]

wiki has rather a treasure trove of statutes:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand-your-ground_law

julie see no big difference in substantive law, but in procedures.

[HolmesBoy]

Strangely, Justice Holmes wrote the opinion in the first SCOTUS case that dealt with the stand-your-ground defense raised where the defendant was not on his own property when he "stood-his-ground." Brown v. United States (1921) (holding that a person attacked by another with a knife does not, as a matter of law, exceed the bounds of lawful self-defense if he stands his ground and kills his assailant, where he has sufficient reason to believe that he is in imminent danger of death or grievous bodily harm from his assailant).

[Julie Fern]

justice holmes was strange.  that whole beetle-eating thing just spooky.

julie agree alleged "duty" retreat been exaggerated by the we-should-be-able-shoot-'em crowd.

just wait until someone shoot republican and use syg law to advantage.  then we hear real hollering.