Article: Stand Your Ground Laws
Source: Northwest Ohio News
http://www.northwestohio.com/news/story.aspx?id=944346
COLUMBUS, OH -- Currently, in Ohio, under the "Stand Your Ground" law, you are required to retreat if deadly force is being used against you unless you are in your home or car, then you are entitled to use deadly force as self defense.
"If you're in a situation where you could retreat, then deadly force is not necessary," says Gregory Gilchrist, Associate Law Professor and the University of Toledo.
House Bill 203 proposes to change that standard so that there is no more rule of retreat anywhere. As long as you have a lawful right to be in the place you are in, you don't have to retreat.
The topic was discussed at UT's law auditorium Monday afternoon. Many showed up to hear an expert panel discuss the issue.
But following the death of Trayvon Martin, in a case focused largely around the stand your ground law, the law itself has been questioned.
Gilchrist says, "I wonder if the cure might be worse than the disease here."
Though highly publicized, the possibility of using deadly force for self defense is slim, and the moment it takes to use a weapon, is not long enough to think of all the other options.
"We all have bad days," explains Gilchrist. "You get stuck in traffic, someone cuts you off, you wait in line, and generally we deal with it pretty well, but not always."
The number of concealed weapons permits that are given out every year maintain a steady increased. In 2012, Ohio issued 64,000 new CCW permits according to the records of the attorney general.
It might be safe to assume that anyone you may come across in any given situation, could be carrying a weapon. And those people can legally defend themselves if they feel that their life in being threatened.
There are 31 states that have stand you ground laws currently, six of which have been adopted since the death of Trayvon Martin.
Ten more states, including Ohio, have laws, or changes to current law, that are set to be voted on come the November election.
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