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Siplin calls Stand Your Ground "negligently written," weighs in on abused woman case

Florida's Stand Your Ground law continues to stand its ground in the national spotlight, after an abused woman was sentenced to 20 years for firing a shot at her abusive husband.

Now, a state Senator who sits on a task force that is currently reviewing the law, is using the case of the woman, Marissa Alexander, to criticize the law.

Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, released a statement  this week saying that he was "deeply saddened" by Alexander's sentencing, and that the Stand Your Ground law was meant to protect people like her. Siplin, who voted for the law in 2005, now says that Alexander's case and the case of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin offer proof that the law is being applied inconsistently. No one was physically injured in the Alexander case.

Siplin's statement called the law "negligently written." On June 12, Siplin and 18 other members of Gov. Rick Scott's Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection will meet in Sanford to take public testimony about the law. 

Alexander's case will likely come up during that meeting, as her 20-year sentence has sparked social media campaigns and national media reports. Supporters are asking that the 31-year-old woman be pardoned or receive a lighter sentence, since she did not physically injure anyone and claims she was shooting a "warning shot."

Her case was prosecuted by Duval County state attorney Angela Corey, who is also prosecuting the case against Trayvon's shooter, George Zimmerman.

 Fox News' Bill O'Reilly will have a segment on the Alexander case tonight.







Well, the first question is whether she was just a bad shot, or whether she was just being merciful with a warning shot.

If she was actually being threatened by an abusive husband, she should have shot him. The failure of the law to shield her if she was really defending herself is a problem.


Siplin, fess up...SYG was never anything other than another 'bend over and grab your ankles' sop for the NRA.


First of all,the Martin vs Zimmerman case hasn't even gone to trial yet and people already want to reform this law based on this one case...that's stupid. The problem isn't the law,theproblem is was it self defense or not? Everyone should have the right to defend themselves. When this case first came out, I was in support of Zimmerman being prosecuted because I was thinking it was a hate crime;but,now with this new evidence of Martin having THC in his system(on drugs)and evidence of Zimmerman having lacerations to the back of his head and an almost broken nose,I think now that there's a good chance he did act out of self defense and the shooting was justified. I don't think Martin was sweet and innocent like the supporters are making him out to be! In the case of the woman getting 20 years for firing a bullet into the ceiling to give a warning shot to her ABUSIVE husband who wasn't supposed to be at her house because she had a RESTRAINING ORDER against him,and came anyway and threatened her is absolutely unjust and obsurd.This was definately a case of self defense and you didn't here of the husband getting arrested for at least violating a restraining order! For all you people who want to do away with the stand your ground law,how would you like to be in a threatening situation with your children in the house and being told you can't defend yourself?! Because of people like yourselves,woman are going to be abused more because the law is going to allow the abuser to abuse them! What was this woman supposed to do,TRY to run out of the house and leave her children in the house with him???He was able to overpower her and he probably made it so she couldn't even get past him. Think about it and what you're saying.....you're trying to get people to give up the right to defend themselves!Sometimes it's either kill or be killed. If someone threatened me or my child,I would make sure they weren't coming back!

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