In light of Trayvon case, Councilman calls for repeal of PA state law
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In light of Trayvon case, Councilman calls for repeal of PA state law
Jan Ransom
In the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Florida’s police department said their hands were tied by the state’s “stand your ground” self defense law and critics have vowed to push lawmakers to roll back those laws.
It was after public pressure and outrage that the shooter --neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman was finally arrested. (See earlier PhillyClout blog post.)
City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. introduced a resolution today calling for the Pennsylvania General assembly to repeal its expansion of the “Castle Doctrine” law which went into effect last year and is similar to Florida’s “stand your ground” legislation. Council members Bill Greenlee and Marian Tasco co-sponsored the resolution.
“We’re asking the legislature to repeal that law because copycats are everywhere and so they are going to test the theory of whether or not you can be the aggressor based on some trumped up reason that you think you’re threatened,” Jones said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen in court whether the assailant will be found guilty or innocent. But I can tell you if he is found innocent there will be replications of that and people will be fighting in the streets like in the Old West… and we can prevent that by repealing that now.”
“I believe in the [second] amendment and right to bear arms and all of that, but responsibly and deadly force should be your last and only option not your first preference,” he said. “The one thing about the Trayvon Martin tragedy is that it brought to light some of the senseless laws on deadly force and proliferation of guns in our society.”
Hey Curtis, how many of the murders in Phila. this year were a result of stand your ground? Uh, none. Home many were the result of ignorant fools roaming the streets in Phila.? Uh, most of them....— jcc1960- And that's why gun manufacturing needs to cease. Handguns have one purpose....to kill other humans.
- JC he has got to jump on this bandwagon because his criminal constituents need not be forced to commit a felony on someone that has the capacity to protect him or herself. That Be dangerous! — Left Philly in 05
- This comment has been deleted.— towelie
Comment removed.- Curtis Jones also said "I believe in the first amendment and right to bear arms and all of that". The right to bear arms is the second amendment. This man sounds like another wonderful black "leader", and all of that. — lvresident
- And o think this guy went to the University of Pa....Then again Barry went to Harvard... — Left Philly in 05
- well said JCC1960.— soccerdad1150
- Jones....ur an idiot. I already fear form my life in Killadelphia after 8pm. I feel like I'm Charlton Heston in the Omega Man. I have to get inside before a specific time so I don't become a statistic. Now your proposing giving more "freedom to operate" to the thugs an looser's that pillage at will without recourse or fear because people like you give rights to the criminals rather than protecting the law abiding public. So you know, I have a carry permit because I cannot count on people like you to keep me safe.— PA2112
- Wow, you watch too much tv news. Reality check, the city isn't that bad. I've lived in the Philly mu whole life and never feel scared. I'm 40 years old and don't start trouble and no trouble comes my way. I walk all over, take the EL, hang in town and frequently go though rough neighborhoods and never had any thing happen, and I don't carry a gun.
You sound like another name for a cat. - Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
- Curtis: You got a better chance of being Mayor than that happening in this state.— aguckin
- Comment removed.
- Councilman Jones need to have a reality check .Why doesn't he do something about the Judges not enforcing the mandatory sentencing of a defendant who uses a gun in a crime .Why doesn't he do something about the 12 open air drug markets in Kensington and Hunting Park. Why doesn't he do something about the black on black Homicides in Philadelphia and stop worrying about one case in Fla. Why doesn't he do something about License and Inspections not listening to Citizens of the City They still are a corrupt organization.Councilman Jones needs to do more hear in this City.......for all races..— realtime
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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