Justice Denied... No More?

Yesterday, legal observers across the nation were stunned. This was far from expected.

In a Florida courtroom, Michael Dunn was found guilty of the first degree murder of Jordan Davis. The jury had deadlocked on this charge during the original trial, though they ultimately agreed to convict Dunn of attempting to murder the other passengers in the car Dunn had shot into due to a dispute over "loud music". But this time, the jury only took 6 hours to reach a verdict.



Like George Zimmerman, Michael Dunn used Florida's "Stand Your Ground" statute as his legal defense. Ever since the NRA and ALEC began promoting "'Stand Your Ground' model legislation" across the nation, more of these cases have popped up in the states that have adopted this "model legislation". We even have a "Stand Your Ground" case right here in Nevada, as Wayne Burgarello is using AB 321 as his legal defense in his murder trial in Reno.

Wayne Burgarello's next court date is set for October 15. He's been released on $150,000 bail. And he's plead not guilty in the murder of Cody Devine and the attempted murder of another woman at Burgarello's abandoned duplex. Burgarello claims he "stood his ground against trespassers", but Devine's family members say Cody didn't even know the duplex he & his female friend were staying in was Burgarello's.

Many have been wondering how difficult it may be for the Washoe County District Attorney's Office to convict Burgarello, especially considering the "ace in the hole" he has in AB 321. But now that a Florida jury has convicted Michael Dunn for murdering Jordan Davis despite "Stand Your Ground", perhaps there's reason for Cody Devine's family to continue hoping for justice here in Nevada.



Still, it's concerning to realize how difficult it is to prosecute murder cases in Florida, in Nevada, and in other "Stand Your Ground" states. It's hard for us to understand how George Zimmerman, Michael Dunn, or Wayne Burgarello to claim "self defense" in any other capacity. Perhaps the outcome of the Burgarello trial will be more like Dunn's and less like Zimmerman's. Or perhaps, the reverse will be true.

Regardless, we will likely see more AB 321/"Stand Your Ground" cases as time marches on. And going forward, the question for Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) and the Nevada Legislature will be: "Did you agree to 'model legislation' that just let someone get away with murder"?

Bloody "Rebranding"

We know they like to go there. But really, must they go there? Don't they realize how moronic they sound whenever they go there?

But alas, NRA "News" internet eye candy commentator Dom Raso insists on going there.



Really, Mr. Raso? Really, NRA? Jim Crow? Seriously?

We know the NRA is trying hard to "rebrand" itself as "the nation's leading civil rights organization"... But that doesn't mean this statement is true. After all, where was the NRA when Trayvon Martin was brutally murdered?



Oh, yes. That's right. The NRA was busy enabling more George Zimmermans to "stand their ground" against innocent people. And the NRA & its "TEA" tinged allies were busy attacking Trayvon's family & friends for daring to fight for #JusticeForTrayvon.

And for the record, we saw the same reaction from the NRA after the murder of Jordan Davis. That's because the NRA always turns to "philosophical arguments" over "framing & language" whenever it's confronted with the ugly truth about "Stand Your Ground".



Jim Crow? Seriously? But of course, it's easier for the NRA to turn to rhetorical nonsense than to address its own history of enabling the likes of Johnny Lee Wicks, Cliven Bundy, Wayne Burgarello, Jerad & Amanda Miller, and Brent Douglas Cole. The NRA can "rebrand" itself as often as it wants, but it can't "rebrand" away its own bloody record.

Standing on Dangerous Ground

Today marks a tragic anniversary. Today marks the second anniversary of the untimely death of Trayvon Martin. Two years ago, George Zimmerman decided to try, convict, and execute Martin for the "crime" of walking outside while black... And Zimmerman then literally got away with murder.



He was able to do so thanks to Florida's "Stand Your Ground" statute. This statute came into being thanks to the aggressive lobbying of the NRA, the (rest of the) gun industry, and their shady "TEA Party, Inc." allies. And they've managed to spread "Stand Your Ground" beyond Florida.

Believe it or not, even Nevada has a somewhat milder version of "Stand Your Ground" on the books thanks to the stranglehold the NRA and its "TEA" powered allies have over Carson City. Just like the "license to discriminate" legislative franchise, "Stand Your Ground" was cooked up in the back rooms of "TEA Party, Inc.", then quickly exported across the nation.

Yet unlike the "license to discriminate" bills sweeping across the nation, the "Stand Your Ground" bills have already been becoming law. And they've already been claiming lives. We're now quite familiar with the horrifying death of Trayvon Martin. More recently, we've witnessed the aftermath of Jordan Davis' untimely passing. And just last month, we learned about the slaying of Chad Oulson... Over texts to his 3 year old daughter's babysitter before a movie. All of these deaths were untimely and unnecessary, yet they all occurred because the respective perpetrators claimed "Stand Your Ground" as a legal defense.

Sadly, this is what happens when we allow a handful of well heeled corporate interests to hijack our legislative system and turn it into their own policy laboratory. We're now uncovering the dangerous consequences of this practice. And as long as the likes of the NRA, ALEC, & other shadowy "TEA" fueled groups continue to call the shots in the halls of power, we will only see more lives lost over this nonsense.

When Florida legislators got the ball rolling on "Stand Your Ground", they thought they were just "helping those who are trying to defend themselves". We're sure Nevada legislators felt the same way when they passed the Nevada version of "Stand Your Ground". What they failed to realize is that they didn't actually do that. Rather, they opened a "Pandora's Box" full of danger. It remains to be seen how many more lives must be lost before we can retreat from this dangerous ground we stand on.

What Stood in the Way

Here they go again. Once more, "Republican rebranding" is the term of the day. Why? They just can't stop reminding us of why they tried "rebranding" in the first place.

Case in point: Colorado State Senator Bernie Herpin (R-Colorado Springs). While the Colorado Legislature was debating a bill he proposed to overturn the state’s new ban on high capacity magazines, he let these "words of wisdom" slip from his tongue.

“My understanding is that James Holmes bought his 100-round capacity magazine legally,” state Sen. Irene Aguilar (D) said to Herpin during the hearing. “So in fact, this law would have stopped James Holmes from purchasing a 100-round magazine. ... I just wondered if you agree with me.”

“Perhaps, James Holmes would not have been able to purchase a 100-round magazine,” Herpin said in response. “As it turned out, that was maybe a good thing that he had a 100-round magazine, because it jammed. If he had instead had four, five, six 15-round magazines, no telling how much damage he could have done until a good guy with a gun showed up.”

For the record, James Holmes was able to shoot 45 rounds in that Aurora movie theater in July 2012. He killed 12 people and wounded 58 others. And NRA All Star Bernie Herpin thinks it's "maybe a good thing" that James Holmes was able to legally obtain a 100-round magazine to use to kill 12 people & injure 58 other people in that Aurora movie theater?

Meanwhile in Florida, the NRA & its G-O-TEA allies are pushing to expand Florida's now infamous "Stand Your Ground" statute. Michael Dunn is on trial for the murder of Jordan Davis. And even though Dunn is using "Stand Your Ground" as his defense, his supporters are worried that his story of "defending himself against a car blasting loud music" may simply be too absurd for a jury to use to acquit him of all criminal charges. So now, the NRA is "jumping to the rescue" to save white & well armed wannabe militia-men from the "clear & present danger" of unarmed African-American youth like Jordan Davis & Trayvon Martin.

Meanwhile here in Nevada, some local Republicans want everyone to know that Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA) is "what stood in the way" between us and better gun safety laws. It probably won't be long until we hear about how US Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA) & Rep. Joe Heck (R-NRA) are "what stood in the way" between us and federal level progress on gun violence prevention. After all, why shouldn't they all be proud of standing in the way of efforts to prevent the meaningless loss of life of those who simply "committed the crime" of going to the movies, listening to music in the car, going to school, and/or walking home while black?

Yep, so many G-O-TEA politicians continue to boast about how they're "what stood in the way" of any & all gun safety legislation. And they continue deluding themselves into thinking this is some kind of "virtue".