Mainly due to the shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. But,
what exactly does the law mean? Here is the Florida statute on which the
law is based:
(1) A person is justified in using or threatening to use force, except
deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person
reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or
herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. A
person who uses or threatens to use force in accordance with this
subsection does not have a duty to retreat before using or threatening
to use such force.
(2) A person is justified in using or threatening to use deadly force if
he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such
force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to
himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a
forcible felony. A person who uses or threatens to use deadly force in
accordance with this subsection does not have a duty to retreat and has
the right to stand his or her ground if the person using or threatening
to use the deadly force is not engaged in a criminal activity and is in
a place where he or she has a right to be.
The second part of the above may seem confusing, but what it basically
says is that if you believe someone is going to commit a crime of
force, you are allowed to use deadly force to stop it and you do not
need to retreat if you have a right to be in the place where you are.
This is the part that is up for debate in some cases. Clearly, you have
the right to be in your home, but what about some other places? The
debate continues. If you live in Burlington, Essex, Colchester,
Winooski, Williston, Shelburne, or anywhere in the state of Vermont, and
have been arrested or charged with DUI or any crime, call Handy Law for
aggressive and experienced legal defense.