Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia Fudge Issues Statement on Changes to Stand Your Ground Laws

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Marcia L. Fudge released the following statement in support of changes to Stand Your Ground Laws:

“It has been made clear that Stand Your Ground Laws across this nation must be changed.  While the “castle doctrine” was originally intended to protect citizens from intruders in their homes, the expansion of this law into the public sphere through Stand Your Ground has resulted in inequitable application and has cost innocent individuals their lives.

“Over the past two years, the ways in which Stand Your Ground Laws are flawed in principle and in practice have been brought to the national stage. The American public has witnessed how Stand Your Ground has been disproportionately used to defend deadly force against the innocent, while the innocent have been denied using it as their defense.

“Today, as CBC Members Rep. Corrine Brown (FL- 05) and Congressman Bobby Scott (VA -03) testify at the Florida Senate Criminal Justice Committee hearing on Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law, members of the Congressional Black Caucus wholeheartdely support their calls for change. Florida must take action to change its Stand Your Ground Law and the 23 states that have passed similar laws must do the same.

“Death is not justified because someone is assumed to be guilty. This nation cannot lose another innocent life to laws meant to protect.”