Republican State Senator David Simmons says he doesn’t understand the criticism leveled at Florida’s so called Stand Your Ground law.
The acquittal of former neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman on second degree murder and manslaughter charges for fatally shooting teenager Trayvon Martin has sparked nationwide protest, and calls for the repeal of stand your ground.
Simmons, who helped craft the legislation, says he can’t understand the criticism, because stand your ground wasn’t brought up during the trial.
“You know both sides say that as presented it was not a stand your ground case, so why people would turn their attention toward stand your ground when they don’t understand it is certainly perplexing to say the least”, Simmons said.
Senator Simmons says if Trayvon Martin had prevailed in the scuffle with George Zimmerman, he would have been relying on the stand your ground law.
Zimmerman says he was attacked and shot the teenager in self defense.