Welcome to

Prosecutors squared off today against the NRA and gun toting lawmakers who want to allow people to fire warning shots without being charged with a crime. Prosecutors say the legislation will do little when it comes to deciding who to prosecute.

Marissa Alexander is the poster child of what some are saying is wrong with the State’s 10-20-Life law. She was sentenced to twenty years for firing a gun in the direction of her estranged husband and children. “Something is wrong and something needs to be fixed and we think this bill does that,” says Eric Friday, Florida Carry.

Her case was front and center at a legislative hearing over whether to allow people who fear for their safety to fire warning shots or display their gun, without being charged with a crime. “Threatening to use deadly force to stop a violent attack is not aggregated assault, it is self defense. Self defense is not a crime,” says Marion Hammer, Unified Sportsmen of Florida.

Gainesville State’s Attorney finally had enough. “Please don’t characterize all of Florida’s 2000 prosecutors as being some sort of renegade, there is another side or nobody would have been arrested, nobody would have been before a court anyhow,” Bill Cervone, Prosecutor, 8th Judicial Circuit.

But the NRA says innocent people are going to jail and that the current law is sending a message that it’s better to shoot to kill than to fire a warning shot.  “I mean the message is, if you’re attack go ahead and shoot somebody and that’s the wrong message,” says Hammer.

Prosecutors were blunt, telling lawmakers if they don’t want people to get mandatory sentences for brandishing a gun then they need to take aggravated assault out of the 10-20-life statute.

The bill faces at least two more hearing in the Senate before a final vote.