Florida Self Defense Law
Posted by Raven on May 3rd, 2005
Florida has passed a new law giving home dwellers the real right to defend their occupants. This law also applies to vehicles.
WASHINGTON — Residents of Florida’s castles — whether mobile homes or stately mansions — got extra protection last week when Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (search) signed into law a bill that allows would-be victims of life-threatening assaults to use deadly force on their assailants without fear of prosecution or civil litigation.
Supporters of the so-called “castle doctrine” — a name that relates to the ancient common law notion that a home is one’s castle and the king or queen of the house has the right to defend it — say this latest law demonstrates the state’s backing for victims’ rights and sends a message to violent criminals that they will be safe nowhere in Florida.
Further down this article says:
Baxley’s bill addresses three areas of self-defense: It codifies into law a long-standing assumption that a homeowner has the right to use deadly force against an intruder if he feels that his or his family’s life is in danger; shields the homeowner from prosecution; and prevents the assailant from lodging future civil action against the homeowner.
Secondly, it extends this right to protection of one’s vehicle. Thirdly, persons attacked in any place outside the home where they have a legal right to be may also use force to defend themselves. This last measure is the most significant change because previous law dictated that a person has a “duty to retreat” from confrontation before he or she can use deadly force in a public space, meaning he or she has to try to flee an attacker first.
Not everyone is happy with this though, as we would expect. Liberals are whining already about Florida becoming a part of the Wild West.
Not everyone is pleased with the law, however. Critics say the changes will encourage a “Wild West” atmosphere in Florida, where people are emboldened to use deadly force without fear of prosecution.
Democratic state Sen. Steven Geller said moderate lawmakers were manipulated into voting for Baxley’s bill because self-defense in the home and car are reasonable expectations and they did not want to appear soft on criminals by voting against them.
“I hate this bill and I voted for it,” he said. “Here’s the problem — the first two parts of the bill are mom and apple pie and American flags and Chevrolet, so you can’t vote against it … the third part is terrible.”
Let the liberals have their hissy, panty twisting fits. When it comes to defending your property, your family-no one should stand in the way.
Cross posted @ Cao’s
May 3rd, 2005 at 12:58 pm
I love it here.
May 3rd, 2005 at 2:20 pm
I am moving to Florida, with all of my guns, and then I am going to start shooting at people saying that I felt threatened! ’cause that is all I have to say according to the libs. I felt threatened by all the school kids, so I am going to start shooting them. I felt threatened by the grandma across the street, so I shot her too! I felt threatened dag nab it! I might even get me a Wild Bill Hickok outfit so I can even look like the wild west. STOOPID LIBS! We got our concealed handgun licenses in Texas, and there were predictions of the OK Corral. Never materialized. Same old fear tactics of the left. They want to paint pictures of Columbine (thanks Micheal Moore you assclown) mixed with Scarface. It is not going to happen. What IS going to happen is alot more dead criminals, or atleast fewer criminals invading homes….
May 3rd, 2005 at 2:44 pm
:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:
Duncan! You are alive and well and OK. Dang I have missed you. And your humor.
May 3rd, 2005 at 5:26 pm
Sounds like an awesome law! I always love your posts Raven. You pick such good topics. How do you do it? I’m down
I miss living in Florida!
May 3rd, 2005 at 6:36 pm
Someone you don’t like? Bring em down to visit me. Two things you need to bring with you: a gun to plant in their hand and a maid to clean up the mess
May 3rd, 2005 at 7:23 pm
Nice looking blog you have here. Mine is hosted on Wordpress as well. Do you know what the difference is between Wordpres themes and styles? Keep up the good work.
May 3rd, 2005 at 8:39 pm
Hi Zelda. No I don’t know the difference, what is it? This blog was designed for me…I checked out your site-who did it for you?
May 3rd, 2005 at 8:40 pm
Robert, I got gun and I offer maid service.:twisted:
May 3rd, 2005 at 9:27 pm
Looks like they copied Colorado’s make my day law which allows one to shoot anybody who walks into my house uninvited and I feel threathened.
May 3rd, 2005 at 11:23 pm
Here in Nebraska, we just shoot ‘em in the yard and drag ‘em in the house. THEN call the cops. Heh!
May 4th, 2005 at 9:00 am
LOL Merri….
May 4th, 2005 at 1:56 pm
Hi Raven,
I designed the site myself using the Wordpress letterhead theme. The logo was made for me by Aaron of Aaron’s cc blog (formerly Aaron’s Rantblog).
May 5th, 2005 at 3:39 am
Not everyone is happy with this though, as we would expect. Liberals are whining already about Florida becoming a part of the Wild West.
Naw, you must be kidding. Not liberals who believe in CHOICE! Surely they realize that this law in no way requires or forces them to carry a gun OR defend themselves.
You would think they would be ecstatic to know that women now have a legitimate means to ABORT a threat to their life.
Guess libs would rather pay someone to do their killing for them
Libs seriously lack logic!
May 5th, 2005 at 7:26 am
The libs are wusses. Pansy asses. Wimps.
They would sit back and watch this country get nuked and still insist we do nothing to defend or fight back. In fact they would say we deserved it.
August 22nd, 2005 at 6:59 pm
i am very happy about this law. for once the laws are not protecting the criminals. i have a family and if their life was in danger i would kill. what do the liberals want my wife to get shot or my son to be taken and then act…. well im sorry thats not how it works.
October 3rd, 2005 at 4:54 pm
Welcome to Florida and read the law! Like before you have to read the deadly force laws. Just because you feel your life is in danger, shoot then ask ?’s. Not. The police will investigate the shooting then if they had a weapon and it was a justified shooting then no problem. If the investigate and find they where just in your back yard with nothing, Hmmmmm you go to jail! So read before you act.