Archive for the ‘Stand Your Ground Law’ Category

Explaining Stand Your Ground law – kwwl.com

CEDAR FALLS (KWWL) -

The Stand Your Ground law is months away from taking effect in Iowa.

Lawmakers say it will allow Iowans to use deadly force to avoid injury or possible death.

Steven Foote, an employee at Mr. Guns in Cedar Falls, says the new bill is cut and dry.

"You no longer have the duty to retreat if you're confronted with a situation," explained Foote.

Foote says the biggest part of the Stand Your Ground bill is that peopleno longer have to try and run away if they feel they're in danger.

"If you're in the process of being mugged you no longer have to try and run away first, you can simply use what force is necessary to stop the situation right there on the spot," said Foote.

The force used isn't limited to a gun.

"It could be whatever weapon you happen to have on hand," said Foote."You don't always have your fire arm with you soit could easily be a flash light or monkey wrench."

Right now in Iowa the old law still applies.

"The way the law is currently written means that if you're confronted with a certain situation you need to back up and try to run away or get away if you can," said Foote.

Soon Iowanscan stand theirground anywhere.Whether that be on theirproperty or in town. This is something that worries some people.

"Another big misconception is that therewill be blood in the street, which is what they always claim," said Foote. "Every other state in the union that has had the stand your ground lawenactedhas not had blood in the street."

A huge concept Foote stresses is a person's life needs to be in danger before they can shoot or use another weapon.

"You have to be in jeopardy," said Foote."You need to be in great bodily harm or near death, so you have to be in jeopardy in order to use deadly force, period."

Foote says right now people in Iowa still have to try and run away.

Adding a lot of the time it's scary to turn your back on a person who might hurt you, but this bill will solve that problem.

The Stand Your Ground bill goes in to effect July 1.

Right now Iowa law remains the same. Lawmakers say you must try and retreat before using deadly force.

More here:
Explaining Stand Your Ground law - kwwl.com

North Carolina may reconsider ‘stand your ground law’ – WNCT


WNCT
North Carolina may reconsider 'stand your ground law'
WNCT
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) A bill making its way through the General Assembly would repeal and replace North Carolina's stand your ground law. The current law gives residents the right to defend themselves with deadly force in their home, workplace ...

Go here to read the rest:
North Carolina may reconsider 'stand your ground law' - WNCT

NC lawmakers seek to repeal parts of state’s ‘Stand your ground’ law – WNCN

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) For Paul Morgan,North Carolinas Stand your ground law is personal.

On May 23, 2016,Morgan says a man was breaking into his Wilson home when he shot and killed the intruder.

I was scared. I did what I had to do, Morgan said.

The incident happened in the middle of the night.

The 71-year-old and his wife were asleep when they heard that suspect trying to kick in their front door.

We thought somebody, he was going to break in and kill me and my wife. I just did what I had to do, Morgan said.

Morgan showed CBS North Carolina the bullet holes in his front door.

Morgan said he warned the intruder several times to stop and that when he didnt listen, thats when Morgan fired two shots through his door.

I think about it just about every day because thats not something I dont want to take nobodys life and I dont want nobody to take mine, Morgan said.

After investigating, Wilsonpolice and the district attorneys office decided not to charge Morgan.

If youre coming into someones house, I think its wrong. Especially that time of night. Both of us were in the bed. So he just protected us, Morgans wife,Gladys, said.

A bill now being introduced in the North Carolina House would repeal the states stand your ground law.

The Trayvon Martin case proved that it can be used in a way to justify a killing that was unjustifiable, said Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford).

Harrison is one of the sponsors of House Bill 723.

Its not necessary. I think It leads to more mayhem and death and we just feel like it shouldnt be on our books,Harrison said of the current law.

Under the current law, residents have the right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, vehicles and workplaces.

HB723 would limit that to just the home.

House Speaker Tim Moore defended the existing law. He says the new bill doesnt have the support to move forward.

It doesnt give you the right to go out and use lethal force for someone trespassing, Moore said. You have to still be able to articulate that you can a reasonable fear of imminent physical injury.

Read the original here:
NC lawmakers seek to repeal parts of state's 'Stand your ground' law - WNCN

Democrats file bill to repeal NC’s ‘stand your ground’ law – News & Observer


WSOC Charlotte
Democrats file bill to repeal NC's 'stand your ground' law
News & Observer
Two Democrats in the N.C. General Assembly have filed a bill that would repeal and replace the state's stand your ground law. The Gun Safety Act, House Bill 723, was filed on Monday and would repeal the law that gives North Carolina citizens the ...
Effort underway to repeal 'Stand Your Ground' law in North CarolinaWSOC Charlotte
New push to repeal North Carolina's 'Stand Your Ground' lawWTVD-TV
New push to repeal NC's 'Stand Your Ground' lawmyfox8.com
WNCN -News & Observer -WordPress.com -North Carolina General Assembly
all 97 news articles »

See more here:
Democrats file bill to repeal NC's 'stand your ground' law - News & Observer

BREAKING: ‘Stand Your Ground’ defense frees man who shot brother-in-law – Palm Beach Post

WEST PALM BEACH

A Stand Your Ground defense has freed a suburban West Palm Beach man charged with shooting and wounding his brother-in-law during an argument two years ago.

Judge John S. Kastrenakes on Monday dismissed a charge of attempted first-degree murder against Harlan Tuitt, 35, ruling in favor of a defense motion to dismiss the case under the states Stand Your Ground law.

Tuitt had been accused in the February 2015 shooting of his brother-in-law during an argument at Tuitts home on Bosque Lane, south of Gun Club Road and west of Haverhill Road.

We think the judge made a proper and wise decision, defense attorney Eric Schwartzreich said. Today justice was done.

Defense attorneys argued that Tuitt was defending himself after being threatened in his home. The Stand Your Ground law authorizes people to meet force with deadly force in their homes, cars or any place they feel their lives in are in danger without a duty to try to retreat.

Had Tuitt gone to trial and been convicted, he could have faced 25 years to life in prison.

On the night of Feb. 19, 2015, Tuitt called 911 to tell authorities he had shot his brother-in-law four times. He told investigators his brother-in-law showed up to his home uninvited. The men drank alcohol as Tuitt celebrated a promotion a work.

According to defense attorneys, Tuitt began discussing a business he was planning to start and offered his brother-in-law a job working at minimum wage The offer angered Tuitts brother-in-law, who began making threats, attorneys said in a motion filed in court.

Tuitt told investigators he was forced to defend himself when his brother-in-law came at him aggressively. The bullets struck the brother-in-law in the torso, buttocks, arm and legs. Investigators spoke to the shooting victim the following day at St. Marys Medical Center.

The man said he had been invited to celebrate Tuitts promotion. He said Tuitt became upset when he mentioned Tuitts actions at a Super Bowl party. The man said he believed Tuitt was intoxicated and was trying to kill him.

Tuitts wife told investigators she was in the kitchen when she heard screaming and yelling prior to the shooting. She could not recall what was said. She told investigators the moment was a blur, and she was non-committal with details about the shooting, police said in their report.

See original here:
BREAKING: 'Stand Your Ground' defense frees man who shot brother-in-law - Palm Beach Post