SCLC launches fight against Stand Your Ground law

Students gather to mourn the loss of Jordan Davis, The 17-year-old was shot and killed during a confrontation over loud music at a Southside gas station. (Chris Mills, 2012)
Students gather to mourn the loss of Jordan Davis, The 17-year-old was shot and killed during a confrontation over loud music at a Southside gas station. (Chris Mills, 2012)
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Updated: 12/07/2012 6:29 pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has a bone to pick with state lawmakers.

The group wants the Stand Your Ground law repealed, now.

"We are saying to the Governor, we are saying to the Task Force that's no longer good enough," Pastor R.L. Gundy said.

The controversial legislation gained national attention after the shooting death of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin. His suspected killer, George Zimmerman, invoked this defense, claiming he felt threatened.

Soon after, Governor Rick Scott put together a Task Force to review the law. Members decided just days ago nothing needed to be overturned and today was the final day to give their input on their draft.

"Every state that has this law. I'm going to be in every state and try to repeal this law...starting in Florida," Ron Davis said.

Ron Davis, is the father of Jordan Davis. He's the teen gunned down last month, police say, over loud music. Ron Davis says the language of the stand your ground law needs to be changed. It says Floridians can legally meet force with deadly force if they feel their life is in danger.

The SCLC is encouraging everyone to call, text and tweet the Governor's office until something is done. Leader R.L. Gundy says he won't rest until there is justice for Trayvon, Jordan Davis and anyone else who senselessly lost their life.

"We're going to do whatever we need to do legally. We're going to do whatever we need to do peacefully to try and bring about change in this state," he said.
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HighLife - 12/10/2012 11:25 AM
0 Votes
I support the SYG law. I like the option of defending myself with lethal force against a thug of any color who wants to harm me for what I have, what I look like, or any other motive. What I'd like to see is SCLC launch a fight against thuggery in the black community--a fight for civility, courtesy, mutual respect, honesty and compliance with the law. If SCLC has any legitimacy, imagine the results if it could transform the criminals who prey on people of all color into law-abiding citizens.

Realchange - 12/8/2012 12:38 PM
2 Votes
Still waiting for the video survelliance footage from the convience store that shows the confrontation. Just about every store has cammeras mounted on them now to catch drive offs and crime. The people have right to see what was caught on tape un edited. Yes it's horrific but I want see what really occurred not hear one side of it over and over again. No one showed outrage when an Idiot with concealed weapon drops his gun on the floor and killed someone. I am pretty sure concealed weapons class teaches you to keep the gun safety on and securlly holstered in the case of men to their body not floating around in your pocket with safety not on. I have more sympath for the young teen murdered by boot camp guards and its caught on video and they go free because they are ex cops and the prosecutor intentionally fouls the case up. So again I ask for the video and I ask the news to visit the store and show where the cammeras are and where the confronation took place. Justice system now days lets guilty people walk based on their professions or ex professions. It falls to citizens to make sure that does not happen and justice is served. I think it's crazy to kill someone over loud music but at same time no one has the right to force their music on everyone around them. IT's called violation of the noise ordinace. Many white people have got citiations for it but now if your black its a freedom statement. You must listen to my musis so loud that it hurts people ears and they can't t hink straight or else.

c9bcrewman - 12/8/2012 9:58 AM
2 Votes
i have a concealed firearm license. too many people these day's have no respect for anyone else.they would rather sell drug's or rob someone, or break into your house.i guarentee you if you threaten me or try to rob me or harm me in any way i will use my gun on you and you will never recover from it.i will not run but tell like it is officer. people these day's don't respect the law's. they don't stop then go on red light's or use there turn signal's. they complain about the camera use so common sense if the people don't run red light's there would be no need for camera's.but these people are idiot's. they would rather risk someone's life.

GaryG - 12/8/2012 9:55 AM
2 Votes
The stand your ground law is not the problem here. If there were no stand your ground law, lawyers in both of these cases would probably be pleading self defense and it would still be up to the judicial system to find the truth. All the stand your ground law does is let people protect themself and their family without letting the other guy take the first shot. So what's next if we repeal stand your ground, do we go after people's right to defend themself next.

imtellin - 12/8/2012 8:57 AM
3 Votes
here's the deal,, you stand your ground,, i'll stand mine !!! if we meet,, i suggest you be the 1st to understand your position !!! otherwise you might be standing 6 feet under !!! i have every right to protect myself & my family from street thugs with an attitude,, or crazy homeless people with nothing left to lose,, or the meth addict,, looking to rip off my possessions to get his/her next hit !!! yet when faced with a choice,, i assure you,, it will be you,, not me,, who pays the ultimate price !!!the law works just fine & has saved many a law abiding citizen from serious if not deadly harm... that is our right... so take your crusade on down the road davis,,, and your greasy fingered followers !!! let the courts and 12 jurors unravel tyrone martin,,, and i'm all for turning down the music !!! gutter trash that sounds like ghetto bedroom noise !!! but hey,, that's just 1 mans opinion !!!so by turning it up,, idiots throughout the nation are engangering their lives & those of their passengers !!! good thinking !!!

Gunny48 - 12/8/2012 6:38 AM
2 Votes
Pattern - from both sides: lack of respect & understanding; inability to get past "my rights"; no concept and/or concern for future consequences for their present actions... None of this can be fixed by repealing a law that is not at fault.

Gunny48 - 12/8/2012 5:42 AM
1 Vote
Dear Governor Scott: Please ban way too loud music, possession of weapons by convicted felons, too dark tinted windows, idiots with attorneys that misuse the "stand your ground law", underage smoking, all criminals, cancer, smoking, homelessness, poverty, illegal drug manufacture and/or sales, thugs of {ALL} denominations, racists of all ethnicities, self-serving parasites (keep a few so we can still "vote"), hurricanes, rabble-rousers, et cetera... {{edit}}

Gunny48 - 12/8/2012 5:41 AM
1 Vote
Dear Governor Scott: Please ban way too loud music, possession of weapons by convicted felons, too dark tinted windows, idiots with attorneys that misuse the "stand your ground law", underage smoking, all criminals, cancer, smoking, homelessness, poverty, illegal drug manufacture and/or sales, thugs of denominations, racists of all ethnicities, self-serving parasites (keep a few so we can still "vote"), hurricanes, rabble-rousers, et cetera...
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