Rick Scott: Bringing Civil Rights To Gun Violence!

I’m talking about Florida’s notorious “Stand Your Ground” law. Journalists and critics of the law have brought to public attention an undeniably discriminatory, anti-black pattern of enforcement within Florida’s law enforcement and judicial sectors (most notably the Marissa Alexander “warning shot” case).

So, naturally, that fierce champion of equality, Governor Rick Scott, has stepped in to stop the racism while supporting the concept that bullets are always a preferred means of conflict resolution:

Scott signed into law Friday an extension of the state’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law, which would cover warning shots.

According to Newsy, the bill was written with the case of Marissa Alexander in mind. Alexander, 33, was found guilty of aggravated assault and sentenced to 20 years in prison after firing what her defense claimed was a warning shot at the husband during a domestic dispute. An appellate court later overturned her conviction and ordered a retrial.

In a statement, Alexander’s lawyers said they “are grateful for the governor’s actions,” according to ABC News. Prosecutors say the law won’t help Alexander because it won’t be applied retroactively, and there’s evidence that suggests the shot she fired was not a warning.

“The new law, as it stands now, allows you to claim immunity from prosecution if you used or threatened deadly force,” Attorney Anthony Rickman told WTVT. “The problem was that under Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws, as it was originally, it only allowed you to use that defense if you used actual deadly force.”

By: dave-dr-gonzo

David Hirsch, a.k.a. Dave "Doctor" Gonzo*, is a renegade record producer, video producer, writer, reformed corporate shill, and still-registered lobbyist for non-one-percenter performing artists and musicians. He lives in a heavily fortified compound in one of Manhattan's less trendy neighborhoods.

* Hirsch is the third person to use the pseudonym, a not-so-veiled tribute to journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson, with the permission of his predecessors Gene Gaudette of American Politics Journal (currently webmaster and chief bottlewasher at Liberaland) and Stephen Meese at Smashmouth Politics.