Voice Matters Blog

Two months after Trayvon Martin was shot to death in Florida, 29-year-old Daniel Adkins Jr., who had the mental capacity of a 13-year-old, was shot outside an Arizona Taco Bell. The shooter, who has not been charged, said he acted in self-defense. These two cases highlight the controversy surrounding Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, a statute that allows people to use deadly force in self-defense. To date, 31 other states also have similar laws, prompting CNN writers Mallory Simon and Ann O'Neill to scrutinize the fine line between legitimate fear and vigilantism.

“Is the use of deadly force justified when the attacker has no weapon and doesn't touch the person who feels threatened,” they ask. “If an intruder has been subdued, is shooting him or her justified? Can a person chase someone down and then claim self-defense? Are Stand Your Ground laws necessary or were existing laws enough?”

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