DATE: November 16, 2015 TO: USF & NRA Member and Friends FROM: Marion P. Hammer USF Executive Director NRA Past President



Multiple gun bills are being heard in several committees this week. We need your help on a number of them. The House version of the Burden of Proof bill (HB-169 by Baxley) is being heard tomorrow (see previous Alert) and the Senate version is being heard on Wednesday (please read this Alert.) -- It's the same message for both committees.



SB-344 Burden of Proof by Sen. Rob Bradley is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal Justice on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 10:00AM



SB-344 Burden of Proof restores the Stand Your Ground law to the original intent of the Legislature by putting the burden of proof BACK ON THE STATE where it belongs.



If you own a gun and you ever have to use it to protect yourself or your family and -- you think, because of the Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground law, that the law is on your side, think again. The Legislature gave you protection in 2005, but prosecutors and the courts have taken it away.



In 2005, the Legislature passed a self-defense law that gives immunity from arrest, detaining in custody, charging and prosecuting -- until and unless an investigation by the state reveals there is probable cause to believe the act was not lawful self-defense.



Prosecutors and the courts didn't like it so they created a special "Stand Your Ground" hearing that forces victims who fight back against criminals to prove they are innocent rather than making the state prove guilt. This bill stops that and restores the protection the Legislature provided.



It is CRITICAL that you respond by emailing members of the House Criminal Justice Committee. There are members of this committee who favor prosecutors and the courts INSTEAD OF YOU.



Make no mistake -- a committee member who votes against this bill will be voting against you and your constitutional right of self-defense.



Please EMAIL Committee members IMMEDIATELY and ask them to SUPPORT SB-344 Burden of Proof by Sen. Rob Bradley



IN THE SUBJECT LINE PUT: SUPPORT SB-344 Restore Self-defense Rights



(To send your message to all just Block and Copy All email addresses into the "Send To" box)



negron.joe@flsenate.gov,

bradley.rob@flsenate.gov,

evers.greg@flsenate.gov,

flores.anitere@flsenate.gov,

hutson.travis@flsenate.gov,

joyner.arthenia@flsenate.gov,

soto.darren@flsenate.gov



Committee members need to hear from YOU NOW. Please email Committee Members IMMEDIATELY.



BACKGROUND:



Your right to a presumption of innocence has been hijacked.



Without any legal or constitution authority, Florida Courts & Prosecutors have over ridden the Legislature.



They have willfully usurped the authority of the Legislative Branch because they did not agree with the Legislature. They created a special "SYG" hearing and reversed the burden of proof from the state to the citizen in self-defense cases. They are forcing victims to prove they are entitled to the Legislature's protection



This bill reverses their self-serving action and restores the Legislature's actions and intent.



There is clear judicial support for this bill. Supreme Court Justices Canady and Poltson, in a recent dissenting opinion, made it clear that the majority opinion "substantially curtails the benefit of the immunity from trial conferred by the Legislature under the Stand Your Ground law."



Additionally, Justice Canady wrote that the majority, "cannot justify curtailing the immunity from trial under the Stand Your Ground law for those individuals whose use of force or threat of force is legally justified under the governing statutory standard."



And finally, he wrote that these issues, "are a matter for the Legislature to consider and resolve."



This bill restores the Legislature's intent and once again – as it did in 2005 – reigns in the courts and prosecutors who have overstepped their constitutional authority and the Legislature's law.



In 2005, citizens who exercised a constitution right – the right of self-defense – were being prosecuted like criminals. And courts – through jury instructions which were unsupported by law – were imposing a "duty to retreat" in self-defense cases.



Courts were actually instructing juries to find victims guilty of a crime if the victim had not tried to run away before fighting back against a criminal attack. That is an indisputable fact.



To restore the constitutional right of self-defense and to stop this judicial system abuse, the Legislature created a specific, statutory right of immunity for people who defend themselves from attack.



This bill restores the presumption of innocence and puts the burden of proof back on the state where it belongs.



