Florida Killing Sparks New Debate About "Stand Your Ground" Law

On the night of February 26, Trayvon Martin died. George Zimmerman shot him.

That is almost everything that is known. Most of the facts surrounding the shooting are in dispute, and much of the rhetoric used to describe the incident is full of racial and political overtones. The incident may be in dispute for quite a while, but the controversy it raises may never be settled.

The local police in Sanford, Florida have refused to arrest Zimmerman because he claimed self-defense in the incident. Self defense laws vary by state but many states have a general requirement that a person must flee (called the "duty to retreat") from an assailant before they can use deadly force in self-defense. Some states have amended their self-defense laws to remove the duty to retreat when you are in your own home. Florida has a statute that goes even further. Sometimes called a "stand your ground" law, Florida's Statute 776.013 allows a person to use deadly force in self-defense in any place that they are lawfully allowed to be.

The Florida law was a large expansion on existing self-defense laws as it means that any person lawfully carrying a firearm could use deadly force. The law is controversial because many critics find that allowing deadly force to be used anywhere could lead to vigilantism. Supporters of the law argue that the law is needed to protect citizens who are attacked outside their home. Whatever side of the debate you agree with, the law has come into sharp focus with the death of Trayvon Martin.