Another Injustice in Florida
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
United States
May 21, 2012 12:29am CST
So Florida is in the papers again, and I have to say am quite upset over what has happened!
A 31 year old Florida mother of 3 (a toddler and 11 year old twins) was sentenced to TWENTY YEARS in prison for a self-defense act! She fired the gun into the wall during a domestic dispute to try and warn/fend off her husband, whom she thought was going to harm her. No one was hurt in the situation.
This mother was charged with aggaravted assualt with a deadly weapon, found guilty by a jury, and sentenced to TWENTY YEARS by a judge!
What happened to being able to defend yourself??? Florida has a "stand your ground" law that states a person may use force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of a threat, without an obligation to retreat first.
I can not believe the legal system would do something as horrible as this. What's this saying to people (especially women) in Florida? You can't defend yourself during a domestic dispute? And this mother PURPOSELY shot into the wall as a warning to her husband, she didn't even take a shot at him (which, given the right circumstance, would also be justified in my opinion).
So, what are your thought's on this?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@cotruelove (1016)
• Denver, Colorado
21 May 12
Is this a case where she chose to be heard by a judge rather than a jury? If 12 people found her guilt, than I'd say there is more to the story than we are hearing in the media. But if a judge, totally different story. Nothing that is happening in Florida surprises me since I believe you have a criminal for a governor who is lining his pockets at the expense of the citizens. It seems harsh to me that she is being given this sentence, but having not heard the whole story, I would question what is going on. Women's rights are being questioned all over the country, and I cannot to save my life, understand why we are going backward rather than forward, except for some religious groups who think women are not worthy of the same rights as men. I just pray some of the Muslim laws don't become effective in the USA, but stranger things are happening than I care to believe. Our politics are crazy, are judicial system marred and it is just insane how we treat our fellow man/woman. I see no reason for her to go to jail for anything like this judge has sentenced her too. I pray she appeals the decision but we forget, there has to be NEW evidence to get an appeal or a blatant disregard for the law. Perhaps the law needs to be revised and that requires a congressional act. Thanks for the discussion!
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
21 May 12
I'm not from Florida, it was just in my newspaper. Just wanted to clear that up 
I'm not stuck in a state like that lol!
The article said the woman had refused a plea deal that would have gotten her a lesser sentence (why wouldn't she if she believed herself innocent?) The case was heard by a jury, the jury found her guilty of aggravated assualt with a deadly weapon. The judge is the one that gave her the 20 years (he said his hands were tied in his decision).
I have researched this story in many different places and ha not found any more details that would justify giving this woman 20 years for her actions.
I'm not stuck in a state like that lol!
The article said the woman had refused a plea deal that would have gotten her a lesser sentence (why wouldn't she if she believed herself innocent?) The case was heard by a jury, the jury found her guilty of aggravated assualt with a deadly weapon. The judge is the one that gave her the 20 years (he said his hands were tied in his decision).
I have researched this story in many different places and ha not found any more details that would justify giving this woman 20 years for her actions.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
21 May 12
Have not seen the story, but if that is the facts, it sounds horrible. You should be able to defend yourself and your family.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
21 May 12
Okay, I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice: IT'S FLORIDA!
They have now become "That State!", and I am sure you know what I mean by that. They are the state that has become the butt of all jokes, and they have become that state that no one wants to live in because of all of the crazy things that happen there.
With that said, I'm not surprised that something like this happened in Florida because Florida's Judicial System is horribly flawed. I would never want to live in Florida because if someone shot me, then they might not go to prison for it because they can use the "Stand Your Ground" Defense, or if I had to shot someone to defend myself, then that wouldn't work on me because they would say that it was premeditated murder even though it was just self-defense. "Stand Your Ground" or Self-Defense should have worked for this woman, and somehow, it didn't. It is incredibly, horribly flawed.
