In this video, Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, says she is planning to protest at the National Rifle Association convention in St. Louis Saturday. Rep. Nasheed cites the Stand Your Ground laws, pushed by NRA across the U. S. and the law's role in the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.
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I suppose it's useless to point out Stand Your Ground (SYG) had nothing to do with this case?
If, as the prosecution sort of claims (the affidavit strangely goes into the passive voice, "Zimmerman confronted Martin and a struggle ensued"), Zimmerman attacked Martin, then he's obviously not covered by it, with the narrow exception if he initiated a physical conflict with illegal but not deadly force, and then Martin elevated it to deadly force. That's part of the SYG block of law that was passed but not part of the doctrine.
If, as Zimmerman claims, he was walking back to his vehicle when Martin verbally confronted him from behind, punched him in the nose knocking him to the ground and then got on top of him, SYG is not applicable, you have no Duty to Retreat when it's physically impossible (the English common law phrase is "back to the wall" and that's still used in the US).
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