..."Stand Your Ground Laws Cat in the Hat ENG/757 December 7, 1941 Dr. Seus "Stand Your Ground" A Citizen's Right to Self Defense. As of 2012, 24 of the United States have put in place some form of “castle doctrine” or “stand your ground” law. These laws are designed to enable citizens to legally defend themselves with deadly force and eliminate the requirement for them to attempt to flee when they feel that an attacker is threatening their life. In the wake of the case in Sanford Florida in which self-proclaimed community watchman George Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin during a confrontation, much attention and public scrutiny has been brought to bear on these controversial laws. A few “stand your ground” states have claimed that abuse of these laws has fostered what some say is a shoot first ask questions later mentality, and in some cases, instances of what could be considered legalized murder. However, instances of abuse are minimal, and in states that have instituted these laws, homicide rates are the lowest in the nation. “Stand your ground” laws are also said by some to promote vigilantism, but even if in some cases this were true, law abiding citizens must be afforded the right to self-defense by any means necessary, without fear of prosecution. “Stand Your Ground”, “Castle Doctrine” What Do They Mean? In the growing debate concerning abolishment of the “stand your ground” laws in place in nearly half of the United States, there are several...
Words: 2285 - Pages: 10
...think the wine bottle is a deadly weapon. I will explain what argument I will use and why I chose that argument. I will also explain why I didn’t chose the other argument. I will give you definitions of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, simple assault and simple battery. I would not chose argument number 2 Sharon should not be charged with aggravated assault and battery, but only simple assault and battery, since no deadly weapon was used. The reason I would chose this argument is because I would say the wine bottle was not a deadly weapon. I would research and see if there were cases that were similar to this case. I would prove that the wine bottle was not broken at the time of the event and that is why it was not a deadly weapon. Here is a case of a women hitting her husband with a wine bottle. Susan Van Cook, 42, of Trails End was charged with two misdemeanors (Leslie Korngold). I would not chose argument number 1 because it would be hard to prove by reasonable doubt that she did this because she was drunk. I am thinking that if you use argument number 1 you could also say she was afraid he was going to hit her first. I think that this argument would be too hard to prove. I could be wrong and this may be easier to prove then I think. Here are the definitions of aggravated assault and aggravated battery. aggravated assault n. the crime of physically attacking another person which results in serious bodily harm and/or is made with a deadly or dangerous weapon such...
Words: 952 - Pages: 4
...cause of death, Smoking tobacco. Some may do it just because it seems cool, or because they want to fit in. However, they are totally unaware of the dangers of smoking tobacco because of the poor safety warnings on the back of every deadly carton. According to U.S. Senate of Massachusetts Edward M. Kennedy,” Nationally, cigarettes kill well over four hundred thousand people each year.” I strongly suggest that tobacco shouldn’t be legal because it’s bad for one’s health, and it can be the most preventable cause of someone’s death. Tobacco is one of the most deadliest, yet legal drugs known to mankind. According to CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), “Smoking causes 443,000 deaths each year in the United States. 443,000. That’s more than the population of some small cities in America. Cigarettes take more lives than automobile accidents, alcohol abuse, illegal drugs, AIDS, murder, and suicide all combined. (Edward M. Kennedy). Tobacco contains nicotine which is one of the most addictive chemicals that exist. Nicotine is actually used to kill insects, and is more addictive than the illegal drug famously known as crack cocaine. But nicotine is just one of the many deadly chemicals in cigarettes. The deadly habit of smoking tobacco has actually existed for centuries. According to an article titled “Smoking” from 2010,” The dangers of tobacco were not always well known. It was smoked by early Native Americans during religious ceremonies...
Words: 691 - Pages: 3
...civilians killings unjustified? Is it justifiable at all and should they all be punished? The criminal justice system is designed to keep order. If, however, the people, officers, that we nominate to restore that order, use the same tactics and force as the criminals they were nominated to deter, can they really be labeled differently? Can the state, who gives out death sentences, be anything less than a hitman on the street, or the guy on fifth avenue who just committed a drive by and killed two innocent bystanders? There is no judgement for the judger who judges the judgmental. In some cases there is only blame to give and it shouldn’t be that way. Over the course of this paper, I plan to describe and lay the foundations covering the use of deadly force, what it means to the police, the limits for such use if there are any, how the latter is outlined in the fourth amendment, as well as identify the difference in position between the people doing the shootings through use of...
Words: 842 - Pages: 4
...Duodenoscope FAQ Q: What is the injury associated with Duodenoscope procedures? A: Duodenoscopes have been linked to deadly ‘superbug’ infections that resist even the strongest antibiotics and subsequently have been linked to numerous patient illnesses and deaths. The procedures occur often for very common ailments and conditions, but the resulting infections can be deadly. Q: What types of infections have been associated with Duodenoscope procedures? A: The most common and unfortunately most serious infections have involved Carbapenems Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). Carbapenems is a group of antibiotics that are usually reserved to treat serious infections as a last resort, particularly for infections caused by germs that are difficult...
Words: 280 - Pages: 2
...charged with a crime. The law that determines when police can use deadly force generally gives officers considerable leeway in making that split-second decision about whether they need to kill to save themselves or others. Police officers are also automatically authorized, based on training in most states, including Missouri, to use deadly force if a suspect tries to grab the officer’s gun. Wilson has told investigators that Brown tried to get his gun during a scuffle in which Brown was reaching into Wilson’s patrol car. Law enforcement experts say the legal standard, established by two Supreme Court rulings from the 1980s, has made it hard for prosecutors to obtain convictions in cases of alleged use of excessive force. Experts say the high court rulings and Officer Darren Wilson’s account give investigators several reasons to find Wilson justified in shooting to kill 18-year-old Michael Brown. A teenager in Washington, D.C. named Michael Brown was shot dead after he allegedly flashed a knife to the police officers assigned in the area near Ferguson, causing his death (Flatow, 2014). Witnesses, however, tell that Brown was unarmed, and the police officers ruthlessly shot him six times on a Tuesday afternoon. Tensions and criticisms arose since the circumstances that were considered in the use of deadly force were unjustifiable (Siddiqui, 2014). This paper aims to discuss on whether or not the use of deadly force by the police officers, and other law enforcing agencies, should...
Words: 1247 - Pages: 5
...person was unlawful, if so, then it would be considered justified; secondly, if the act or force was immediate and necessary to defend yourself; and lastly, if the circumstances were reasonable enough to warrant the amount of force applied in the act. When determining the reasonableness of force used, one would have to take into account the relationship of those involved along with their size and age, and whether the assault was aggressive, and the type of weapon used (Gardner, & Anderson, 2012). Another approach to take when determining lawfulness of the use of force would be, the use of Deadly Force in a Self-Defense or the Defense of Others, would be the Stand Your Ground Law, a Florida Statute, that if and when a person feels that they are in fear of their life, and believe that they are in danger, then they have the right to defend themselves by using force with force including deadly force. Only if they reasonably believe that using force is the only way to prevent death or bodily harm, without the duty to retreat (Gardner, & Anderson, 2012). Again, the court looks for key points such as, Unlawfulness, Necessity, and Reasonableness, in determining if the force used was indeed justified. As for using the Good Samaritan Laws,...
Words: 1627 - Pages: 7
...1) What are the Legal issues? In Texas, you have the right to use deadly force in certain circumstances to protect property, and you can “Stand your ground,” where killing a person would be justifiable if your able to claim you were afraid. -Prosecution’s position? How would prosecution prove Horn violated these laws? The police advised for Horn to stay in his house and not try to stop the burglars. The house that was being robbed wasn’t even his, so the law wouldn’t apply to Horn. -Defense’s position? How would the defense prove Horn was not guilty? Horn fired out of fear for his life, making deadly force justifiable. Law also permits the use of deadly force to protect property under some circumstances Mr. Horn also is a retired veteran, and doesn’t have criminal history 2) Specifics of case. What happened, what were the actions of all individuals in case? Joe Horn was a 62-year-old veteran that caught 2 burglars that were undocumented aliens, Diego Ortiz, and Hernando Riascos Torres, stealing property from the neighbor’s house. He was on the phone with the dispatcher saying that it was wrong of what their doing and proceeded to go confront then, even though the dispatcher told him not to do so multiple times. Horn went outside to find then running across his yard, told them to freeze, they didn’t do so, so he decided to put a shell in each of their backs. Texas Laws Deadly force is considered justified and a defense of justifiable homicide applicable...
Words: 284 - Pages: 2
...addicted to prescription pain medication Topic: Americans addicted to prescription pain medication. General Purpose: To inform. Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the epidemic of addiction painkillers. INTRODUCTION 1. A deadly epidemic is happening at a rapid pace with Americans and pain medication 2. Reasons Americans abuse these medications. 3. General facts about the danger of these drugs. A. Physically B. Mentally C. Overall behavior 4. Review and conclusion. 5. Thesis: Addicted and overdosing, Americans of all ages are abusing prescription pain medications. People need to be better educated about the danger of these legal painkillers. Better ways to prevent the rising addiction among Americans needs to be talked about more often. 1. What are the drugs being most abused and the shocking numbers of death due to addiction? A. These drugs are known as opiates or narcotics. 1. Most abused pain medication includes, Hydrocodone which includes iodine, Lora tab, and Lori tan. 2. Oxycodone which includes oxytocin, Percocet, and Percodan. 3. Morphine and codeine are on the list as well. B. The shocking numbers of increase dangers from these medications. 1. 3.7 million people filled 21 million legal prescriptions for opiate pain pills in 2007 (Center for Disease Control & Prevention, 2012). 2. There were 6,000 deaths that were accidental drug overdoses in 1990. In 2007 27,658 people died from overdoses from prescription pain medication...
Words: 488 - Pages: 2
...Different governments have age limits for legal consumption of alcohol. In most western states, it is illegal for individuals below 18 years of age to consume alcohol. Other countries have an age limit of 15 years (Miller, 2010). All governments have reasons for setting this age requirements for alcohol consumption. For example, some argue that raising the legal age limit may not have an impact on society if people do not have the will to stop irresponsible drinking. Others argue that raising the legal age limit would allow individuals to drink when they are mature and responsible (Kolander, 2011). This would reduce chances of irresponsible drinking. This essay aims at discussing the legal age for alcohol consumption and whether it should be raised. According to reports from several police departments, most youth consume alcohol when they have not met the age limit. This implies that raising the age limit is effective albeit dutiful parenting (Miller, 2010). The need to raise the age limit, therefore, becomes crucial in curbing the negative effects caused by alcohol consumption. However, altering the age limit does not provide a conclusive solution to challenges of alcohol consumption. Governments can also create awareness in schools through program initiatives that educate children on the negative impacts of alcohol. Religious and social groups can collaborate with the governments on this aspect so as to make it effective. Secondly, raising the age limit for consumption of...
Words: 664 - Pages: 3
...Use of Force The use of force is inevitable in police work. In many situations the lives of officers or civilians can be taken by not using force when necessary or using it improperly. Many factors come into play when an officer decides to use force. This includes is the use of force justified, has the officer been properly trained to use force, and will the department be held liable if the force is used improperly? There are two types of force in police work. One is non deadly force and the other is deadly force. Non deadly force is force that, when used, is not likely to result in serious bodily injury or death. Now just because it is not deadly does not mean you can run around and be using non deadly force because you feel like it. To use this type of force you need to have reasonable force. Reasonable force is limited to the amount of force necessary to accomplish lawful results. Say Officers are arresting a man that is kicking and punching, those officers can use only enough force that is necessary to control the situation. If the officers were to start throwing punches back that is excessive force because now they are adding to the fire and not just trying to control the situation. One huge problem for officers is that reasonable force is subjective. This means it all depends on the situation. One thing might be reasonable force for one cop but may even be excessive force for the other due to situations and perhaps even the size of the officer. Due to the intense job...
Words: 1090 - Pages: 5
...fairness? (TCO 1) The theft of farm animals, or rustling, would be classified as: (TCO 1) According to Robert Merton, a(n) ________ rejects the goals and accepts the means to achieve society’s goals. (TCO 2) An offense punishable by incarceration, usually in local confinement facility, for a period whose upper limit is prescribed by statute in a given jurisdiction, typically one year or less. (TCOs 3&4) Which local law enforcement official is responsible for serving court papers, maintaining security within courtrooms, and running the county jail? (TCOs 3&4) The legalistic style of policing: (TCOs 3&4) Unreasonable searches and seizures are prohibited by the: (TCOs 3&4) Historically, officers were allowed to use deadly force to prevent the escape of a suspected felon even when the person represented no immediate threat to the officer or the public. This was known as the: (TCOs 3&4) The most widely used system of indigent defense is: (TCOs 5&6) During a trial, the ________ happens before the closing statement, but after the jury selection. (TCOs 5&6) Bail serves two purposes. One is to help ensure the reappearance of the accused at trial. The other is: (TCOs 5&6) Which of the following is one of the more rational sentencing goals? (TCOs 7&8) Historically, ________ was the most widely used type of physical punishment. (TCOs 7&8) What word describes aggressive men who assume the masculine role in homosexual relations in male prisons...
Words: 6098 - Pages: 25
...Damien Thomas 08/08/2013 EN1320 Composition 1 Unit 10 Research Paper Part 6: Final Draft of Research Paper The war on drugs isn’t necessary; the amount of money tax payers are wasting is reason alone to consider other options. There is talk that decriminalizing drugs will not help, and that legalizing them will cause more trouble than what is already around, while legalizing marijuana and educating the teens about drugs may guide them to make better choices as they grow older. Not only does the war on drugs take money out of the hard-working hands of Americans, but it also forces drug users to look for alternative ways to get high. Because of unfair laws on drugs such as marijuana, users move toward the legal “spices” that cause more death than marijuana itself. There are a few states that have legalized marijuana for medical purposes, although it’s still difficult to grow and use in those states because of federal laws. The legalization of medical marijuana; brings money to that state, helps the sick, opens jobs and rises the tax revenue; a few of the things to look forward to when Uncle Sam starts treating us like adults. “In the 1980s and ‘90s the U.S. beat back the cocaine and heroin epidemics, but not by legalization or decriminalization, but by tough law enforcement, strong prevention and education programs and public outcry.” (Bennett, 2013) The truth is the War on Drugs is something like the War on Terrorism. To end terrorism is to end hate; a great idea, but is it...
Words: 1215 - Pages: 5
...stay off someone's land. In 1997, Texas lawmakers passed a bill recognizing the practice, but it has only become a widespread practice in recent years. Before the law, landowners were required to post signs warning people to stay off their land. In fact, during the first year of the "Purple Paint Law," as it is known, property owners had to post signs in addition to painting their fences purple. However, that rule was phased out after only one year, and purple paint is now considered enough warning for those wandering close to private land. For a painted fence to meet the legal requirements of the "Purple Paint Law," its markings must be at least 8 inches in height and 1 inch wide. The paint must also be clearly visible. For example, it cannot be hidden behind a tree or a bush. Ashley Pellerin, an extension agent with Praire View A&M University, told KETK-TV that purple fences carry the same legal weight as posted signs. She also explained why the color purple was chosen. "A lot of people who are color blind can actually see the color purple, so I believe that's why it was chosen," said Pellerin. The "Purple Paint Law" was also intended to keep trespassers from simply pulling down signs and claiming they didn't know they were on private land. “The reason the Texas Legislature [allowed purple fences] is they were trying to keep landowners from constantly having to replace signs," Texas real estate expert Jonathan Kennedy explained. "In Texas, as we know, people like...
Words: 456 - Pages: 2
...ENG 122: English Composition II Mary Harmon December 10, 2012 Drug Trafficking in the United States “The war on drugs has become the longest most deadly war the United States has ever faced.”(Wright, 2011) The United States has been fighting drug trafficking since the 1900’s and the main dilemma is how to exactly stop it. Some people believe that making drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamine legal in the United States would put a stop to drug trafficking, but this is just going to do nothing but make things worse for the people of the United States and cause the drug war to begin in our own country. It is believed by some that making drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamine legal in the United States will stop drug trafficking from other countries and help the United States in other ways. People believe that making drugs legal in the United States that it would reduce the prison population which will save the government money, it will make money for our country because the government can tax the drugs, reduce the chances of drug overdoses because the drugs will be more pure and the amount sold will not be deathly, help cancer and glaucoma patients, and stop trafficking and smuggling from other countries. This all may be true in some ways but making these drugs legal would just cause more problems within the United States and for our people. These problems vary from more crime within the United States to more jobless...
Words: 2196 - Pages: 9
