Stand Your Ground Law

HOUSTON -- Attorneys for a Houston-area man convicted of murder despite claiming self-defense under Texas' version of a "stand-your-ground" law were expected to present more character witnesses Tuesday as jurors consider his sentence. Raul Rodriguez, 46, was convicted of murder June 13 and faces up to life in prison for the 2010 killing of neighbor Kelly Danaher, 36, an elementary school teacher. Among those expected to testify Tuesday is Rodriguez's wife. Rodriguez, a retired Houston-area firefighter living in Huffman, an unincorporated area 30 miles northeast of Houston, had gone to Danaher's home to complain about the noise coming from a party.

A young man mouths off from the back of an SUV in a Florida convenience store parking lot - and Michael Dunn, sitting in the next vehicle, pulls a gun out of his glove compartment and opens fire , later claiming he felt threatened by a shotgun that he, and only he, saw. A group of teens pulls a prank by dumping eggs, mayonnaise and leaves on a parked car - and Willie Noble, whose car it was, allegedly storms out of his house and opens fire,...

Bill Lee temporarily stepped down Thursday as police chief of Sanford, Fla., in the wake of complaints about how he handled the case of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager shot to death by a neighborhood watch officer. At a televised news conference, Lee announced that he was stepping aside because his leadership has become a distraction and had overshadowed the events of Feb. 26, when Martin, 17, was shot by George Zimmerman. “As a former homicide investigator, a career law enforcement officer and a father, I am keenly aware of the emotions associated with this tragic death of a child,” said Lee, who took the top police spot in May after his predecessor was pushed out because of another racially charged scandal.

WASHINGTON - Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., speaking about the George Zimmerman acquittal at the NAACP annual convention in Orlando, Fla., urged that laws like Florida's “stand your ground” statute allowing people to use licensed firearms when they feel threatened should be invoked only after the person first tries to retreat from a dangerous situation. “It's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods,” Holder said.

When a burglar carrying a bag of stolen car stereos swung it at Greyston Garcia's head, Garcia swung back with his fist - in which he clutched a kitchen knife. Garcia recovered the bag, which held his own stereo, and went home thinking he'd seen the burglar run away uninjured. But the burglar later died and, months after the Jan. 25, 2011, confrontation, Garcia was facing a second-degree murder charge in a Miami-Dade County courtroom. Garcia claimed self-defense, citing Florida's 7-year-old “stand your ground” law, which is also at the center of the Trayvon Martin shooting case.

WASHINGTON - Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., speaking about the George Zimmerman acquittal at the NAACP annual convention in Orlando, Fla., urged that laws like Florida's “stand your ground” statute allowing people to use licensed firearms when they feel threatened should be invoked only after the person first tries to retreat from a dangerous situation. “It's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods,” Holder said.

Trayvon Martin's parents appeared before a task force in Florida on Tuesday to denounce the way the state's controversial "stand your ground" law can be used to protect aggressors. Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton believe that's what happened in the case of their son, who was unarmed when he was shot and killed in February by a neighborhood watch volunteer. "They need to amend these laws," Fulton said, according to the Orlando Sentinel, which was covering the task force hearing.

It has been called "obscene," "stupid" and the "right-to-commit-murder law. " It has also been credited with protecting people like Sarah McKinley, a young widow who killed a knife-wielding man after he broke into her Oklahoma home. Opinions about so-called "stand your ground" legislation - at the center of the Trayvon Martin killing in Sanford, Fla. - are as vastly different as the cases in which it has been invoked since Florida in 2005 became the first state to adopt such a statute.

A young man mouths off from the back of an SUV in a Florida convenience store parking lot - and Michael Dunn, sitting in the next vehicle, pulls a gun out of his glove compartment and opens fire , later claiming he felt threatened by a shotgun that he, and only he, saw. A group of teens pulls a prank by dumping eggs, mayonnaise and leaves on a parked car - and Willie Noble, whose car it was, allegedly storms out of his house and opens fire,...

Harder than it looks Re " Making connections ," Column One, March 21 Making connections by teaching elders to use computers is a wonderful idea. However, I seriously object to the "sensitivity training" given to the university students in preparation for their teaching experience. Simulations - using props such as earplugs, gloves, tape and diapers - do not provide a sense of the "lived experience" of being older. Many in the disability community reject these simulations as demeaning.

HOUSTON -- Attorneys for a Houston-area man convicted of murder despite claiming self-defense under Texas' version of a "stand-your-ground" law were expected to present more character witnesses Tuesday as jurors consider his sentence. Raul Rodriguez, 46, was convicted of murder June 13 and faces up to life in prison for the 2010 killing of neighbor Kelly Danaher, 36, an elementary school teacher. Among those expected to testify Tuesday is Rodriguez's wife. Rodriguez, a retired Houston-area firefighter living in Huffman, an unincorporated area 30 miles northeast of Houston, had gone to Danaher's home to complain about the noise coming from a party.

Trayvon Martin's parents appeared before a task force in Florida on Tuesday to denounce the way the state's controversial "stand your ground" law can be used to protect aggressors. Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton believe that's what happened in the case of their son, who was unarmed when he was shot and killed in February by a neighborhood watch volunteer. "They need to amend these laws," Fulton said, according to the Orlando Sentinel, which was covering the task force hearing.

When a burglar carrying a bag of stolen car stereos swung it at Greyston Garcia's head, Garcia swung back with his fist - in which he clutched a kitchen knife. Garcia recovered the bag, which held his own stereo, and went home thinking he'd seen the burglar run away uninjured. But the burglar later died and, months after the Jan. 25, 2011, confrontation, Garcia was facing a second-degree murder charge in a Miami-Dade County courtroom. Garcia claimed self-defense, citing Florida's 7-year-old “stand your ground” law, which is also at the center of the Trayvon Martin shooting case.

Harder than it looks Re " Making connections ," Column One, March 21 Making connections by teaching elders to use computers is a wonderful idea. However, I seriously object to the "sensitivity training" given to the university students in preparation for their teaching experience. Simulations - using props such as earplugs, gloves, tape and diapers - do not provide a sense of the "lived experience" of being older. Many in the disability community reject these simulations as demeaning.

It has been called "obscene," "stupid" and the "right-to-commit-murder law. " It has also been credited with protecting people like Sarah McKinley, a young widow who killed a knife-wielding man after he broke into her Oklahoma home. Opinions about so-called "stand your ground" legislation - at the center of the Trayvon Martin killing in Sanford, Fla. - are as vastly different as the cases in which it has been invoked since Florida in 2005 became the first state to adopt such a statute.

Bill Lee temporarily stepped down Thursday as police chief of Sanford, Fla., in the wake of complaints about how he handled the case of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager shot to death by a neighborhood watch officer. At a televised news conference, Lee announced that he was stepping aside because his leadership has become a distraction and had overshadowed the events of Feb. 26, when Martin, 17, was shot by George Zimmerman. “As a former homicide investigator, a career law enforcement officer and a father, I am keenly aware of the emotions associated with this tragic death of a child,” said Lee, who took the top police spot in May after his predecessor was pushed out because of another racially charged scandal.

Fallout from a Florida jury's acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin may soon make its way to Sacramento. Joe Piasecki reports that Democratic Assemblyman Chris Holden of Pasadena plans to introduce a resolution calling for California officials to boycott travel and business dealings with Florida until it repeals the controversial "stand your ground" law. The resolution will be introduced when state lawmakers return...

Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old kid walking back to his father's house after buying a package of Skittles at a convenience store. George Zimmerman was an overzealous block watch volunteer carrying a gun. Zimmerman may have been carrying something else around with him: an attitude about black kids and where they belonged. Martin had the bad luck to cross paths with Zimmerman. It was raining. Martin's hoodie was up. He was on the phone with his girlfriend and, according to her, was getting nervous about the big guy following him. The guy was Zimmerman.