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Sunday, January 8, 2012

Teen who killed bully to go free under ‘Stand Your Ground’ law - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Teen who killed bully to go free under ‘Stand Your Ground’ law - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Teen who killed bully to go free under ‘Stand Your Ground’ law

A judge has dropped a second-degree murder charge against a 15-year-old who fatally stabbed another teenager after he was attacked, citing a law in Florida that allows an individual to meet force with force if they fear for his/her life.

The “Stand Your Ground” law says that a person has no duty to retreat if attacked and can use even deadly force if they feel their life is in danger . At least 17 states have a version of this law, including Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Washington. If the boy had been in a state without the law, he might not have escaped prosecution.

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