To: Representative Jake Wheatley, PA House of Rep. 19th District
Repeal the Castle Doctrine Expansion (Shoot First Law)
There are many layers to gun- and race-related issues that have been flooding the news media as of late. Trayvon Martin, Marissa Alexander, and Police Chief Mark Kessler are simply some of the more high-profile examples of why we need to discuss better, more effective gun laws.
More specifically, "stand your ground" and the castle doctrine expansion (Pennsylvania's version of "stand your ground") need to be repealed and a better way needs to be implemented. In nearly all states where "shoot-first" laws have been implemented, the rate of "justifiable homicides" has increased. In some states, including Florida, the rates have gone up nearly 200%!
The castle doctrine expansion states that a person has no obligation to retreat from what they deem to be a threatening situation. Instead, they have the right to potentially end a person's life if they feel threatened and if the "assailant" has a weapon visible. (Just for the record, a bag of Skittles or a bottle of soda can be, and has been, mistaken for a deadly weapon.)
Rep. Jake Wheatley: The expansion needs to be repealed and more effective legislation put in place in the interest of protecting the citizens of our fair city.
More specifically, "stand your ground" and the castle doctrine expansion (Pennsylvania's version of "stand your ground") need to be repealed and a better way needs to be implemented. In nearly all states where "shoot-first" laws have been implemented, the rate of "justifiable homicides" has increased. In some states, including Florida, the rates have gone up nearly 200%!
The castle doctrine expansion states that a person has no obligation to retreat from what they deem to be a threatening situation. Instead, they have the right to potentially end a person's life if they feel threatened and if the "assailant" has a weapon visible. (Just for the record, a bag of Skittles or a bottle of soda can be, and has been, mistaken for a deadly weapon.)
Rep. Jake Wheatley: The expansion needs to be repealed and more effective legislation put in place in the interest of protecting the citizens of our fair city.
Why is this important?
This is a plea to Representative Jake Wheatley to open up discussions for repealing the Castle Doctrine Expansion (PA's version of Stand Your Ground). While his intentions to protect his constituents from violent crime are commendable and certainly understandable...these types of laws INCREASE the numbers of "justifiable homicides".