Editorial “Enabling Murder” opines:
“The shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida and the failure of the police to arrest the shooter, who claimed self-defense, is a cautionary tale about those states, including Pennsylvania, that have expanded the right to use lethal force in self-defense…
“Prior to the law’s passage, a person confronted with lethal force had a duty to attempt to retreat. “Retreat” was largely regarded as any attempt, including shouting a warning, to elude an attack. It should be noted that genuine self-defense — in any situation — is, and always has been, legal. An expansion of the statute was unnecessary but lawmakers were unwilling to oppose legislation sponsored by the National Rifle Association…
“We are an errant shooting away from a similar tragedy.”
WATCHDOG: We agree with the sentiment but the editors have both the facts and the law wrong. Martin was fleeing from the vigilante assailant when he was shot, so “Stand your ground” law is not applicable. This point was agreed upon by the entire panel of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” this morning.
