An Orlando Criminal Defense Attorney’s Take on Stand Your Ground

George Zimmerman’s trial brought Stand Your Ground laws under public scrutiny. The laws were put in place to protect people who might be on the street when attacked. Most states have castle laws that enable you to defend yourself with impunity, but Florida wanted added protections given to people who chose to defend themselves. This is obviously a controversial subject right now here in Florida. We had two separate cases in the news where Stand Your Ground came under scrutiny, the case of George Zimmerman and that of Marissa Alexander. In George Zimmerman’s case gun owners supported the use of “Stand Your Ground”, defending George Zimmerman’s use of this rule in his deadly struggle with Trayvon Martin.  George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin and was exonerated by a jury.  Marissa Alexander fired warning shots in her own home and is now going to spend 20 years in prison.

Let me repeat, 20 years in prison for hurting no one at all.

It is these sorts of cases that make me frustrated with the US criminal system and Florida’s in particular.  How can you justify releasing one person who killed another human being and then clamp in irons, so to speak, a woman who at the end of the day hurt no one at all when they both claimed the same defense?

As a Florida criminal lawyer I have great difficulties with this, or should I say grave difficulties with this.

Equal justice under the law is a big deal with this Orlando defense lawyer.  The law must be applied equally else the system is unjust and corrupted by prejudicial interest.  My heart goes out to Ms Alexander and I fully support the attempts to see a more honest justice applied to her appeals.

I am an experienced criminal defense attorney practicing in Central Florida. I like to comment on current events and things that are relevant to the Central Florida community. Do feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.