For weeks now, the highly emotional story of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin have elicited very strong opinions. But away from the details of this case, the mainstream media are badly misrepresenting the facts of the so-called “stand Your Ground” laws in Florida and 40 other states. Economist John Lott is also the author of “More Guns, Less Crime”. He explains why the actual laws are much more restrictive than the media would have us believe and those who use deadly force to defend themselves could still face criminal charges. Lott walks us through the laws and tells us what factors need to be in place for a successful defense based on these laws. And he details the impact “Stand Your Ground” laws have had on crime rates in the states where they have been implemented.
