Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaApril 5, 2017

The House on Wednesday OK’d the Senate’s fix to the state’s “stand your ground” law to streamline claims of self-defense—with one change. The House version changes the measure (SB 128) to switch the burden of proof to “clear and convincing evidence,” a lower threshold than the Senate’s “beyond a reasonable doubt,” to overcome self-defense. Members voted 74-39 for the amended […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 5, 2017

Florida’s “stand your ground” law, a source of contention for years, could soon provide even more protection to people who invoke it. Some lawmakers want to make prosecutors prove a defendant wasn’t acting in self-defense before proceeding to trial. Florida has been a leader in giving citizens immunity in cases of self-defense, with its “stand […]

Scott PowersFebruary 9, 2017

A Florida Senate committee overwhelmingly approved the latest attempt to expand the state’s Stand Your Ground self-defense law. On Thursday, the Senate Rules Committee passed the measure after advocates said it would stop unnecessary prosecutions. Opponents alleged it would stop a lot of necessary prosecutions, as well. Senate Bill 128 would allow gun defendants to […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2016

Though tonight’s 4th Circuit State Attorney GOP primary debate between State Attorney Angela Corey and challengers Melissa Nelson and Wes White will be web-only, it’s worth the bandwidth. This could be the last stand for those looking to stop Nelson from unseating the embattled incumbent state attorney, who despite being aggressively backed by incumbent politicians and public safety […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 7, 2016

Rep. Corrine Brown opened her Jacksonville campaign headquarters Sunday, but the media was more interested in her federal trial and her other challenges. She delivered hot quotes on that, relating her situation to the trial of Marissa Alexander. “As horrible as this is for me, I’ve learned a lot,” Brown said, saying prosecutors were spending […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 23, 2016

The Mandarin Community Club in Jacksonville held a forum Thursday evening including two of the three candidates for 4th Circuit State Attorney in a 140-year-old building off Brady Road. The air conditioning? Insufficient. But given the heat between State Attorney Angela Corey and one of Corey’s challengers, Wes White, no amount of AC would have been enough. […]

Melissa RossDecember 17, 2015

It’s nearly a year to go till Election Day, but State Attorney Angela Corey is messaging hard and pushing back against criticism that she’s been too punitive a prosecutor, especially when it comes to juvenile offenders. Corey presented on the concept of “smart justice” at Monday’s Justice Summit in Sarasota. The three-day event was organized by the […]

Melissa RossNovember 10, 2015

State Attorney Angela Corey celebrated 34 years as a prosecutor in Florida’s 4th Judicial Circuit this week (excepting, of course, the short span when she was fired from the office by her predecessor, Harry Shorstein.) Corey triumphantly returned when she beat Shorstein’s protege, Jay Plotkin, in the 2008 state attorney’s race. “Ed Austin hired me […]

Ryan RaySeptember 23, 2015

Sen. Rob Bradley stepped forward on Wednesday and sponsored the Senate companion bill to a proposal by Rep. Dennis Baxley, father of the state’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law. Bradley – an Orange Park Republican and former state prosecutor – lent his name to Baxley’s push to boost the legal standing of defendants who claim they acted […]

Ryan RaySeptember 15, 2015

Rep. Dennis Baxley – father of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law – filed a bill Tuesday that would tweak the state’s self-defense statutes. Baxley’s newly-filed HB 169 is designed to enhance the legal standing of defendants who claim they acted in self-defense while using or threatening to use deadly force in a dispute. The bill would shift the legal burden […]

Tag: Marissa Alexander

House sends back Senate’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ bill

State could flip burden of proving ‘Stand Your Ground’

Senate Rules Committee stands its ground on Stand Your Ground

TV debate could be last stand for Angela Corey, Wes White

Corrine Brown: Federal prosecutors ‘make it up as you go’

Angela Corey, Wes White spar at Mandarin forum

Angela Corey talks “smart justice”

Angela Corey: “What we’re doing is working”

Self-defense enhancement bill gets Senate companion

Dennis Baxley files bill to aid self-defense claimants