These past couple of days I have came across some people who are baffled that George Zimmerman has been released on bail. As you know he claimed self-defense in the Trayvon Martin case, he is now awaiting his second trial. After witnessing this case for the past two years I wondered how many other people got away with this "stand-your-ground" law.
Marissa Alexander, a victim of domestic violence, claimed self-defense fighting for her life from her abusive husband. She is facing up to 25 years in prison for three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with no intent to harm, but the sentencing will not take place until April 30th. Contrary to the Trayvon Martin case no one in this situation ended up dead. Marissa simply shot a firearm towards the ceiling to scare her husband from attacking her.
The blogs and websites that I have read all display a public letter written from Marissa herself. The letter explains the circumstances the day the situation happened and why she feels she deserves justice.
Based off of what I read I personally believe that Marissa has the right to demand her freedom. The gun that she used was registered and she had a permit. After escaping from the grip of her husband she was able to get to the garage (where she retrieved her gun) but was not able to get out due to problems with the garage door.
Assuming that her husband left out of the front door with his two sons she decided to slip out to the kitchen and slide through the back door. Once they crossed paths in the kitchen he viewed the gun and said "Bitch I'll kill you". In terror Marissa shot the gun in the air leaving her husband to flee with his two sons. He called the police claiming that Marissa shot at him and his two sons. She was arrested in 2010 and has been in jail ever since.
The thing is her husband has a history of domestic violence towards multiple women. He has even admitted that he tried to attack her. However, the judge on her trial did not believe that firing a gun was the right solution to self-defense. He claims that she could have exited to safety through a window or door instead of crossing paths with her husband.
As a person fearing for your life you act on basic instincts. Marissa did not have time to sit there and concoct a plan on exiting the house. She had to react before she was attacked once again.
It is funny how she was instantly taken to jail for releasing a bullet that was not even directed towards a person but it took forever for Zimmerman to be arrested for actually putting a bullet through someone. Now he is free, once again, waiting for a trial that may not even happen until next year.
If there are confessions and proof that Marissa was attacked why isn't she free? The stand-your-ground law must not work for the minorities in Florida.
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