Florida Action Report! Self-defense Bill in House Criminal Justice Comm.

The critically important self-defense bill, HB-245, was heard by the House Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, February 22, 2017, andPASSED 9-4.

Once again State Attorney Phil Archer, left his job in Brevard/Seminole County to travel to Tallahassee to testify against your self-defense rights and the constitutional rights of the citizens he was elected to serve in the 11th Judicial Circuit.

Archer made it clear that the convenience of prosecutors and the desires of the State Attorney's office was far more important than protecting the constitutional rights of innocent citizens.  And that convictions -- not justice -- are the priority of prosecutors.

When the state charges a person with a crime, the state has the burden of proof -- from arrest all the way to the jury room.

We want to thank the House Committee members who voted for the bill.

If you want to watch the action in the Committee go to this link and move the time bar at the bottom to about 24 minutes into the hearing where it the hearing on HB-245 begins with Rep. Bobby Payne's opening presentation.

http://thefloridachannel.org/videos/22217-house-criminal-justice-subcommittee/

The testimony by those in favor of the bill is excellent.  Greg Newburn representing Families Against Mandatory Minimums is outstanding, Public Defender Bob Dillinger representing The Florida Association of Public Defenders is also outstanding. 

The debate by Republican committee members is exceptional and shows they clearly get it.

The testimony by State Attorney Phil Archer is more of the same complaining about how hard and expensive it will be on prosecutors to do their job of prosecuting criminals instead of extorting pleas bargains from innocent people. 

The testimony by others against the bill contains a lot of emotional supposition -- not based on fact or the content of the bill.

REPUBLICAN Representatives Voting FOR the bill:

Chair Ross Spano

V-Chair Julio Gonzalez
Thad Altman
Dane Eagle
James Grant
Gayle Harrell
Chris Latvala
Bob Rommell
Jennifer Sullivan

DEMOCRAT Representatives voting AGAINST the bill:

Ranking Democrat Sharon Pritichett
Ramon Alexander
Jared Moskowitz
David Richardson

EXCUSED ABSENCE:  Daniel Raulerson (R) & Emily Slosberg (D)

MAKE NO MISTAKE  prosecutors have become a big problem in Florida and Phil Archeris the spokesman for those who don't want you to have the right to self-defense. Their association, the FPAA, cares more about convictions than justice.

If you want to take a few minutes and thank Committee members for their votes, here are their email addresses:

[email protected],
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[email protected]