Janet Napolitano Signed Stand Your Ground Law As Arizona Governor

Many Democrats and liberals have been quick to criticize Florida's "stand your ground law" as giving a license to private citizens to commit murder in the wake of the huge public outcry from some corners that Florida officials were too slow to charge neighborhood crime watch volunteer George Zimmerman with a crime for shooting and killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin after the two got into a skirmish. Breitbart's Awr Hawkins points out that former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who now serves as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under President Obama, signed into law Arizona's stand your ground law, which is essentially the same as Florida's law. Quoting from the Arizona Daily Star, a spokesman for Napolitano explained her decision to sign the bill into law:

 [Gubernatorial spokeswoman Jeanine L’Ecuyer] said Napolitano, a former state and federal prosecutor, concluded the measure would not cause the harm that foes contend it would. “She believes in the fundamental right of self-defense,” L’Ecuyer said. “And the law still requires the defendant to be in imminent peril of death or serious physical injury.”

The NRA applauded then-Gov. Napolitano's decision to sign the measure:

[The] bill has two components: One is Castle Doctrine, which presumes you are justified in the use of force if you believe you are in danger of serious bodily harm or death within your home or occupied vehicle. The second and most significant component is the return of the burden of proof in self-defense cases to the state, so law-abiding citizens who are forced to actually use their firearms or other means of protection for self-defense will not be wrongfully imprisoned or financially devastated by costs associated with their legal defense. They will once again be presumed innocent – consistent with the American system of justice.

Florida's law of returning the burden of proof in self-defense cases to the state hasn't worked out so well for George Zimmerman, who now faces second degree murder charges and is being held in jail indefiniely without bail. Those demanding Zimmerman be charged with murder have presumed his guilt, notwithstanding his claim that he was only defending himself after Martin knocked him to the gtround with a blow to his nose and began slamming his head into the sidewalk. Zimmerman will in all likelihood be financially devastated by the costs he incurs in defending against the over-charged crime of second degree murder.