Ohio GOP Expected To Clarify Stand Your Ground Bill

By Tom Knighton

The state of Ohio is lacking an important piece of law. While Stand Your Ground laws are controversial, it’s usually because of a poor understanding of the laws, not because of what the laws actually mean.

In Ohio, there’s a battle underway trying to fix that oversight. State Senate Republicans have announced they’ll work to clarify the bill before it comes up for a vote.

Senate Republicans are expected to make changes aimed at further clarifying a controversial stand-your-ground bill, but it’s unclear if the moves will soften opposition by prosecutors and law enforcement.

House Bill 228, which is likely to see amendments and a full Senate vote Thursday, would eliminate Ohio’s current duty to retreat, a provision that says a person has an obligation to escape from a confrontation, if possible, before using deadly force.

“We think (the bill) makes it clear that you have under current law and you will continue to have a right to defend yourself,” said Sen. Bill Coley, R-West Chester, chairman of the Senate Government Oversight Committee. “We’re going to bring clarity to the situations under which you may utilize deadly force to protect yourself.”

Coley said he plans to borrow from military protocol and add …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms