INSTITUTE INDEX: A year after Trayvon Martin's death, little has changed on 'stand your ground'

By Sue Sturgis / February 26, 2013

Date on which Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American youth, was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla. by George Zimmerman, a volunteer neighborhood watchman who claimed self-defense under the state's "Stand Your Ground" law, even though Zimmerman ignored the instructions of a police dispatcher and pursued the unarmed teen: 2/26/2012

Number of days later that Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed a special prosecutor to handle the case after growing public outcry over the fact that Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, had not been charged with any crime and remained free: 25

Number of days after her appointment that the special prosecutor announced second-degree murder charges and Zimmerman surrendered to authorities: 20

Date of the special hearing on which a judge will decide whether Zimmerman is immune from prosecution under the "stand your ground" defense: 4/22/2013

According to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of nearly 200 Florida "stand your ground" cases, percent where invoking the "stand your ground" defense has allowed the shooter to go free: 70

Percent of those who killed a white person who successfully used the "stand your ground" defense: 59

Of those who killed a black person: 73

Portion of cases studied in which the defendants initiated the fight, shot an unarmed person, or pursued their victim: nearly 1/3

Date on which a task force commissioned by Florida Gov. Rick Scott released the results of its study into the controversial statute, which Martin's family wants amended to make it harder for someone who initiates a confrontation to claim self-defense: 2/22/2013

Number of changes to the law the task force recommended: 0

Number of the two dozen states which have adopted such laws that have repealed them in the wake of Trayvon Martin's death: 0

Factor by which the number of concealed weapons permits have increased in Florida since "stand your ground" became law in 2005: 3

Number of such permits now held by Floridians: 1.1 million

(Click on figure to go to source.)

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