Florida URGENT! Bill to REPEAL Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground in Committee

YOUR ACTION NEEDED NOW!!

DATE:   November 1, 2013
TO:       USF & NRA Member and Friends
FROM:  Marion P. Hammer
            USF Executive Director
            NRA Past President

WHERE:     Florida House Criminal Justice Committee Hearing
WHEN:       Thursday, November 7, 2013 at  3:00pm
WHAT:        Bills on the Agenda  --  HB-4003 by Williams and HB-89 by Combee

WE OPPOSE HB-4003 by Rep. Alan Williams (D-Tallahassee).  HB-4003 is a REPEALER bill that will repeal the "Stand Your Ground" law.  This bill would repeal provisions of our self-defense laws relating to home protection & use of deadly force.  It would once again put the law on the side of criminals. 

The repeal would re-impose the "duty to retreat" and give protection to criminals by denying victims the right to fight back without first trying to run away.  HB-4003 would remove the law that allows you to stand your ground and fight back in the face of an attack likely to cause death or great bodily harm.  This is a bill to protect criminals.

WE SUPPORT HB-89 by Rep. Neil Combee (R-Auburndale) & Rep. Katie Edwards (D-Sunrise).  HB-89 is a bill to stop abusive prosecutors from using 10-20-LIFE to prosecute people who threaten to use deadly force against an attacker as a means to stop an attack. 

Some anti-gun, anti-self-defense prosecutors have been abusing the 10-20-LIFE law to prosecute average citizens who displayed a weapon or gun in self-defense to make an attacker back off. 

Average citizens who never would have been in the system if they had not been attacked and in fear for their own safety are being persecuted and prosecuted for defending themselves.  Because citizens took responsibility for their own safety, some prosecutors treat them like criminals and make them victims of a judicial system that is no longer about justice but rather about the whim or politics of prosecutors.

10-20-LIFE was passed to be used against criminals who use guns in the commission or attempted commission of crimes -- NOT average citizens who use threats of force to defend themselves rather than actual force. 

We urge you to E-MAIL and CALL Committee members and tell them to

VOTE  AGAINST HB-4003 by Williams  and  VOTE FOR HB-89 by Combee

IN THE SUBJECT PUT:  VOTE FOR HB-89 by Combee / AGAINST HB-4003 by Williams

(To send your message to all just Block and Copy All email addresses into the "Send To" box)

E-MAIL

matt.gaetz@myfloridahouse.gov,
ray.pilon@myfloridahouse.gov,
irving.slosberg@myfloridahouse.gov,
Randolph.Bracy@myfloridahouse.gov,
Mike.Clelland@myfloridahouse.gov,
Dane.Eagle@myfloridahouse.gov,
james.grant@myfloridahouse.gov,
gayle.harrell@myfloridahouse.gov,
Dave.Hood@myfloridahouse.gov,
Travis.Hutson@myfloridahouse.gov,
Dave.Kerner@myfloridahouse.gov,
Kionne.McGhee@myfloridahouse.gov,
charles.vanzant@myfloridahouse.gov

PHONE CALLS:

Chairman, Matt Gaetz – (850) 717-5004
Vice Chair, Ray Pilon – (850) 717-5072
Irving Slosberg – (850) 717-5099
Randolph Bracy – (850) 717-5045
Mike Clelland – (850) 717-5029
Dane Eagle – (850) 717-5077
James Grant – (850) 717-5064
Gayle Harrell – (850) 717-5083
Dave Hood – (850) 717-5025
Travis Hutson – (850) 717-5024
Dave Kerner – (850) 717-5087
Kionne McGhee – (850) 717-5117
Charles Van Zant – (850) 717-5019

Please forward this e-mail to your friends, neighbors, and co-workers who believe in the right to defend self and family from criminal attackers.