Ohio House Bill 203, which proposes a “stand your ground law,” passed the house two days ago. The bill changes Ohio’s self-defense law such that anyone facing bodily harm, so long as he is in a place he is lawfully allowed to be, has no duty to retreat before using deadly force in his defense. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, believes that the bill will save lives.
I don’t know if Johnson is right or wrong, but here’s something significant: The Columbus Dispatch reported that prosecutors and law enforcement argue there is no evidence that the law needs to be changed and that it already provides adequate protection. If prosecutors and law enforcement are correct, then how does Johnson know that H.B. 203 will save lives, and what’s the basis for his position?
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