Posted on 07/16/2012 6:33:26 AM PDT by marktwain
TALLAHASSEE — Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law continues to enjoy widespread support among likely voters, even as a state task force considers rewriting the law, according to a new Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald/Bay News 9 poll.
Nearly 65 percent say the 2005 law — which allows people who believe they are in grave danger to use deadly force to defend themselves — does not need to be changed. There's less consensus when it comes to voters' thoughts on the Trayvon Martin shooting, which thrust the law into the national spotlight this year.
Voters are essentially split about whether George Zimmerman — who faces second-degree murder charges for shooting Martin on Feb. 26 — was acting in self-defense when he pulled the trigger. Forty-four percent believe he was and 40 percent say he wasn't, while 16 percent are not sure. Major differences emerge when voters are separated by geography and race.
"The real divide on this is racial, which I think isn't terribly surprising given the racial tone that this (case) has taken," said Brad Coker of Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, a nonpartisan, Jacksonville-based company that conducted the poll. The telephone survey of 800 registered Florida voters — all likely to vote in the November general election — was conducted July 9-11 and has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
Voters in South Florida and blacks are the most likely to say that stand your ground should be repealed or amended, and that Zimmerman, 28, was not justified in shooting Martin, 17.
Only 6 percent of black voters believe Zimmerman was acting in self-defense, while 82 percent said he was not, the poll found. Hispanics were the most likely to agree with Zimmerman's self-defense claim, with 52 percent saying he was justified, compared with 50 percent of whites. Hispanics were also the most likely to say they were not sure, with 25 percent undecided about the case. Zimmerman is Hispanic.
Zimmerman's fate will likely hinge on the law, which came under intense scrutiny after the Martin shooting, with many calling for its repeal. The 2005 law — which eliminates the so-called duty to retreat during a confrontation in a public place — remains popular in Florida, with only 18 percent saying it should be repealed.
Randy Gaskins, a 57-year-old firefighter and paramedic in Gainesville, is a big fan of the law, and has a concealed weapons permit.
"I love stand your ground," he said. "I don't want to turn tail and run. Now, I'm not going to look for trouble or anything, but if someone advances on you, you should be able to defend yourself."
Not everyone supports the law, and a state task force is currently reviewing it to see if changes should be recommended to the Legislature. Critics say that the law has allowed murderers to escape justice, and that it is not applied fairly to all races.
Debra Peoples of Tampa said her son, Chyvas, was convicted of manslaughter after killing a gang member who attacked him, and was not allowed to use "stand your ground" as a defense.
"This law failed my son," Peoples, who is black, told members of the task force last week. "I implore you, to look at the disparity of how the 'stand your ground' law is applied."
Sixty-nine percent of black voters believe the law should be repealed or modified, compared to just 28 percent of white voters and 34 percent of Hispanics.
Margaret Kary, an 87-year-old from Penney Farms in north Florida, said she thinks the law should be repealed. Kary says getting her 61-year-old daughter to visit Florida has been difficult because of the state's gun-friendly culture.
"She's afraid to come to Florida," Kary said. "She thinks everyone has a gun in their pocket."
Times/Herald staff writer Michael Van Sickler contributed to this story. Toluse Olorunnipa can be reached at tolorunnipa@miamiherald.com and on Twitter @ToluseO.
As I understand it, Zimmerman was acting in self defense because he was being attacked with deadly force. SYG is about not having to retreat - Zimmerman was walking away, disengaging when Martin attacked him. SYG has nothing to do with this case.
"The real divide on this is racial, which I think isn't terribly surprising given the racial tone that this (case) has taken,"
Racial tone the case has taken? Ha! You mean racial tone the MSM has spun onto the case.
Only 6 percent of black voters believe Zimmerman was acting in self-defense...
I would ask them, anyone this: If someone has knocked you to the ground, beaten you, repeatedly slammed your skull into a concrete sidewalk, and is continuing to punch your face... What else do you need to start thinking "Hey, this guy means to do me serious harm, maybe even kill me?" Simple self-preservation at work here. Everything else around this case is BS, background noise. It all comes down to the last few seconds. Martin attacked Zimmerman with deadly force. (yes, people have died from beatings) Zimmerman responded, defended himself.
The ONLY thing that makes this issue 'controversial' is liberal elites in the press disagree with the vast majority of citizens... The press is soooooo full of themselves.
An unreported part of the study found 99% of violent criminals held in Florida's prison system agreed 'stand your ground' should be repealed or amended.
and this 6% are now living in fear of their lives.
He also apparently tried to buy some blunts -- cheap cigars to be hollowed out and
filled with marijuana. When the clerk turned him down, he had a scuzzy trio buy
these for him.
He didn't mix the cocktail, but he probably smoked a blunt. The autopsy found
THC in his blood and urine.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/taking_down_the_second_amendment_the_connection_
between_fast_and_furious_and_the_trayvon_martin_case.
html#ixzz20nMuFAkX
And this explains why a change of venue from Seminole County is not in the works. Seminole is 82% white and only 10% black, and 3 hours from South Florida.
But unfortunately when it comes to the SYG hearing, the judge in this case is still 94.7% prejudiced.
"This law failed my son," Peoples, who is black, told members of the task force last week. "I implore you, to look at the disparity of how the 'stand your ground' law is applied."
Wonder if the reporter realizes this woman wants SYG expanded?
look at the confusing title of the article “want no changes”
they has to be a better grammar way to say that.
On February 26, 2012, a neighborhood watch captain was attacked by a thug.
Trayvon Martin had already been expelled three times in the school year. . . . .
____________________________________________________________
These are the facts. How in the world Zimmerman is looked upon as anything except for a community hero who got rid of a small part of the thieving scum in his neighborhood is beyond my comprehension.
If you took all the reporters and threw them in the ocean with an anchor tied to their neck it would be a good start to repairing our broken society.
Travon Martins Parents who cry for him should have been doing something for him to keep him from being a thief and burgular, to keep him from being a member of a fight club, to keep him from being a drug user and to keep him from being an habitual truant case.
Martin was a thug. His parents knew and did nothing to stop it. His parents should be blamed for his death. I am saddened that a 17 year old human who could have had and done so much but instead made his life a waste, I am not saddened that a thug was exterminated. Had I been in Zimmermans place I hope I would have had the strength to do the same as he.
Zimmerman needs to be praised for his community service. He needs to sue the news organizations for trying to make him something he is not. He needs to sue the state for a one-sided prosecution that did not give all the facts to the judge that signed off on the charge of 2nd degree murder.
I am grateful to George Zimmerman for his heroic work to save us from the likes of Trayvon Martin.
I live in Central Florida and I want no changes in the stand your ground law.
Again, it is the carpet bagging press and pundits that are scandalized by this, not honest working class folks.
In case anyone forgot why to avoid MLK Blvd in any city.
It may have been pointed out before, but I’d just like to say I don’t see what “stand your ground” had to do with Zimmerman’s situation.
By all accounts and evidence Trayvon was sitting on his chest, slugging him. Zimmerman had no opportunity to leave. So he was not in a “stand your ground” situation. He was trapped.
Correct. “Controversial” means at least a half dozen liberals don’t like it.
SYG doesn’t apply when you’re pinned to the ground and being pummeled. Zimmerman couldn’t possibly have a “duty to retreat” under those circumstances. We need to start refuting this liberal talking point.
Trayvon Martin’s death had nothing to do with SYG.
The author seems confused as to the difference between registered voters and likely voters. These are two distinctly different groups since being a registered vote is no indication of whether a person will vote while being a likely voter indicates both a registered voter and the maximum confidence they will vote.
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