tangent4ronpaul
07-17-2013, 08:14 AM
http://topics.wsj.com/person/H/eric,-holder/6924
Attorney General Eric Holder attacked "stand-your-ground laws" three days after the acquittal of a man in last year's shooting of an unarmed Florida teen, saying in a speech that such laws encourage more violence than they prevent.
Speaking to the NAACP's annual convention in Orlando, Fla., not far from where George Zimmerman was tried for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Mr. Holder denounced laws that permit a person to use force in self-defense without first attempting to retreat from the situation.
"Separate and apart from the case that has drawn the nation's attention, it's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods," Mr. Holder said. It was the first time the attorney general criticized such laws publicly, and by raising the issue in a speech largely about Mr. Martin's death, he suggested a connection between the shooting and the enactment of such laws.
Mr. Holder drew sustained applause when he declared, "We must stand our ground to ensure that our laws reduce violence and take a hard look at laws that contribute to more violence than they prevent."
Mr. Holder's comments rankled gun-rights groups and other supporters of such laws, who say they empower people to confront criminals in life-threatening situations, rather than flee. Erich Pratt, spokesman for the Gun Owners of America, said the attorney general "wants to take us back to the days where those who are under attack are forced to retreat.…We are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, and Lady Justice is supposed to be blind."
Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association's lobbying arm, said the attorney general "fails to understand that self-defense is not a concept, it's a fundamental human right. To send a message that legitimate self-defense is to blame is unconscionable."
Twenty-five states, including Florida, have adopted some version of stand-your-ground laws. While the law was a factor in the initial investigation of the Martin shooting, lawyers for Mr. Zimmerman didn't base their defense on the law, arguing instead that their client had no option of retreat, and therefore the stand-your-ground principle didn't apply.
Mr. Zimmerman over the weekend was found not guilty of all charges in the case, a decision that sparked protests across the country and some rioting in Los Angeles Monday night. Mr. Holder repeated his call for a national discussion of the issues surrounding the case and urged people to follow the dignified example of Mr. Martin's parents.
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Attorney General Eric Holder attacked "stand-your-ground laws" three days after the acquittal of a man in last year's shooting of an unarmed Florida teen, saying in a speech that such laws encourage more violence than they prevent.
Speaking to the NAACP's annual convention in Orlando, Fla., not far from where George Zimmerman was tried for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Mr. Holder denounced laws that permit a person to use force in self-defense without first attempting to retreat from the situation.
"Separate and apart from the case that has drawn the nation's attention, it's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods," Mr. Holder said. It was the first time the attorney general criticized such laws publicly, and by raising the issue in a speech largely about Mr. Martin's death, he suggested a connection between the shooting and the enactment of such laws.
Mr. Holder drew sustained applause when he declared, "We must stand our ground to ensure that our laws reduce violence and take a hard look at laws that contribute to more violence than they prevent."
Mr. Holder's comments rankled gun-rights groups and other supporters of such laws, who say they empower people to confront criminals in life-threatening situations, rather than flee. Erich Pratt, spokesman for the Gun Owners of America, said the attorney general "wants to take us back to the days where those who are under attack are forced to retreat.…We are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, and Lady Justice is supposed to be blind."
Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association's lobbying arm, said the attorney general "fails to understand that self-defense is not a concept, it's a fundamental human right. To send a message that legitimate self-defense is to blame is unconscionable."
Twenty-five states, including Florida, have adopted some version of stand-your-ground laws. While the law was a factor in the initial investigation of the Martin shooting, lawyers for Mr. Zimmerman didn't base their defense on the law, arguing instead that their client had no option of retreat, and therefore the stand-your-ground principle didn't apply.
Mr. Zimmerman over the weekend was found not guilty of all charges in the case, a decision that sparked protests across the country and some rioting in Los Angeles Monday night. Mr. Holder repeated his call for a national discussion of the issues surrounding the case and urged people to follow the dignified example of Mr. Martin's parents.
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