In Southern states, including Florida and Alabama, homicide rates have jumped 10%, the study found. In the decade-plus since Martin's death, "stand your ground" laws have led to between an 8% to 11% increase in gun homicides and violent deaths, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The American Bar Association National Task Force on Stand Your Ground Laws said these laws created a "misconception that these laws provide carte blanche for people to use deadly force in public areas." The expansion allowed people anywhere and at any time to defend themselves and "meet force with force, including deadly force," if they felt their lives were in danger - without punishment. But once outside their homes, people could not use deadly force if there was a safe way to retreat - until the expansion of "stand your ground" laws. Under earlier self-defense laws, people could reasonably defend themselves within their homes. What does the "stand your ground" law allow for?įlorida was the first state to fully enact a "stand your ground" law in 2005, which allows people to use force - including deadly force - from any location if they felt their lives were in danger. Here's what you need to know about the laws. Opponents say that these laws foster a "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality that can lead to rising homicide rates, and can also disproportionately affect minorities. Proponents of the laws, including the National Rifle Association, argue that they give people the right to protect themselves, no matter where they are. A Florida jury acquitted Zimmerman of all charges after they received instructions about the law.Ībout 35 states have enacted some form of "stand your ground" laws - or expanded "castle doctrine" laws - in the decade following Martin's death, with each one defining how and where a person can defend themselves when they feel their life is in danger. George Zimmerman said he shot the Black teenager because he felt threatened. "Stand your ground" laws first entered the American vernacular after the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. "Gun violence against unarmed Black individuals must stop," civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement. The shooting sparked outrage on social media, where celebrities, activists, and lawyers have alleged the shooting was a clear-cut case of bias.
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