State lawmakers will join attorneys on Wednesday evening for a discussion of Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law at Florida A&M University’s College of Law in Orlando.
The discussion comes against the backdrop of the recent acquittal of former Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman said he shot the teen in self-defense.
Participants will discuss whether or not the law needs to be changed.
Senator Geraldine Thompson who opposes the “stand your ground” law says, any change to the law must come from within Florida’s Republican-dominated Legislature.
“There are 160 of us so those are the people who are going to have to have the will to re-examine the law and to amend it if we find that is necessary or to repeal it,” she said.
Last week, Thompson said that a press conference that while Gov. Rick Scott did appoint a task force to review the law last year, it was stacked with supporters of the law and there was little real discussion of “stand your ground.”
State Sen. David Simmons, a Republican who helped write the “stand your ground” will participate in the discussion forum. Also, Sen. Chris Smith, a South Florida democrat who has called for changes to the law, is expected to attend.
[…] State lawmakers joined attorneys on Wednesday [July 24] evening for a discussion of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law at Florida A&M University’s College of Law inOrlando. The discussion comes against the backdrop of the recent acquittal of former Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Participants discussed whether the law needs to be changed. Some of the panelists believe that the Stand Your Ground law is confusing and should be amended. Republican Sen. David Simmons, one of the key authors of the law and a panel member, defended the law but conceded that certain amendments might be needed. (Read Full Article Here) […]