These cases illustrate why Republicans are worthless even on 2nd Amendment issues. The laws under which all of these people were charged were made by Florida Republicans during the anti-crime hysteria of the 1990s. Over and over again, Republicans show that they are more interested in sucking off cops than in defending the “right to bear arms” whether for self-defense, resistance to government tyranny, or any other purpose.

Florida Times Union

In the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death and the subsequent charge of George Zimmerman, the nation has turned its focus to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law.

Far too little attention, unfortunately, has been paid to Florida’s mandatory sentencing laws, which often lead to gross injustices and waste of tax dollars.

Consider the case of Marissa Danielle Alexander, a 31-year-old mother of three who had been repeatedly abused by her husband who threatened several times to kill her. On Aug. 1, 2010, Alexander’s husband choked her and refused to let her leave the house.

After breaking free and making her way to the garage, Alexander realized she did not have her car keys. Fearing for her safety, she grabbed her legally registered handgun and re-entered her home to retrieve her keys. Her husband, screaming and threatening her, moved toward her. Alexander fired one shot into her ceiling, and her husband left.

Angela Corey prosecuted

State Attorney Angela Corey charged Alexander with aggravated assault. The jurors were not told that, if convicted, Alexander would have to serve a 20-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.

They rejected Alexander’s self-defense claim and convicted her. Alexander is due to be sentenced soon.

Unfortunately, Alexander’s case is not unique, and others in similar situations are serving 20-year mandatory minimums in Florida prisons today.

Orville Lee Wollard, a lawful gun owner with no criminal history, fired a warning shot in his home to scare off a man who had been abusing his daughter.

After he rejected a plea deal and a jury rejected his self-defense claim, the judge was forced to send Wollard to prison for 20 years.

Wollard’s judge said, “If it weren’t for the mandatory minimum, I would use my discretion and impose some separate sentence, having taken into consideration the circumstances of the event.”

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