Florida lawmakers are surprising many with a new extension of the highly controversial “Stand Your Ground” law to include firing warning shots.
According to the Huffington Post, the law was written with Marissa Alexander in mind. Alexander’s case gained national attention when she was found guilty of aggravated assault and sentenced to 20 years in jail after firing off a warning shot in her home against her abusive husband. Her conviction was later overturned and a retrial ordered.
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed the Stand Your Ground extension on Friday.
“The new law, as it stands now, allows you to claim immunity from prosecution if you used or threatened deadly force,” Attorney Anthony Rickman told WTVT. “The problem was that under Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws, as it was originally, it only allowed you to use that defense if you used actual deadly force.”
Unfortunately for Alexander, the new extension won’t cover cases from the past. Her defense team spoke out on the extension, saying they’re still grateful for the landmark decision.
“We learned today that Governor Rick Scott has signed the corrective Stand Your Ground Bill, which was advanced by the legislature as a result of concern about Marissa’s case among others,” read the statement. “We are of course grateful for the governor’s actions.”
Some are worried about the extension and the loopholes that may come forth in the future, but lawmakers are sure that “Stand Your Ground” will be applied to more cases. However, we’re not sure that’s actually a good thing…
SOURCE: Huffington Post | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
