Castle doctrine

[raven818]

Stupid folks like Zimm- give all gun owners a bad rap.

I so hope my jury, should I ever have a need, is capable of understanding the difference between the Castle Doctrine / Stand Your Ground and Self Defense, and utilize that knowledge in determining my guilt or innocence. Otherwise, I'm screwed.

To bad a guy like Joe Friday isn't still around, or at least the memory of him. He had one interest and one interest only...just the facts, Mam..Just the facts. Nothing else mattered to him, just the facts.

The right to be judged by your peers. That's soooo scary. Peers? My scariest nightmare would begin by watching my jury of peers being selected from a pool filled to the brim by folks who, through media access, have already determined they know more than anybody else knows, and will convince everybody else to convict me.

If I'm found not guilty, I already know it wont make any difference, because my g-man will leave his/her office, stop by Home Depot, pick up three nails, a couple pieces of wood, and come after me.

A screaming public worked a couple thousand years ago, why would anyone believe anythings changed since then. Ask anyone. Everybody has an opinion. If you say you'll have to wait and see, well, your peers will have an opinion about that too.

[norahc]

Originally Posted by Caneman

curious on how the law defines the "aggressor"... is this the first person to make physical contact? or the person who "started" the verbal confrontation? it will be interesting to see how the court decides this... i have always thought that the first person to make physical contact is the aggressor, and at that point the other person has a right to defend themselves...

You can still be the aggressor and qualify for SYG defense if you look at 776.041(2b).

2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless:
...
b)In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.

Given what has been reported in the Martin-Zimmerman case, I'm beginning to wonder if this is what happened. How's this for a scenario: Zimmerman approached Martin (and would be deemed the aggressor), but then tried to break contact and couldn't because Martin wouldn't let him.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what the jury decides.

[raven818]

Neither Stand Your Ground or The Castle Doctrine apply. If it went down as Zimmerman and the two on-site witnesses say it did, his attorney will say it was Self Defense.