VOA标准英语2012--US Shooting Case Puts Spotlight on Controversial Law

US Shooting Case Puts Spotlight¹ on Controversial Law

Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman said he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in self-defense² during a confrontation³, after calling the police emergency line to report a suspicious person: 

Dispatcher: "Are you following him?

Zimmerman: "Yes."

Dispatcher:"Ok, we don't need you to do that."

The case has cast a spotlight on Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which gives people the right to protect themselves with deadly force, even outside of their homes. 

Zimmerman told police he shot Martin after the teenager punched him and slammed his head on the sidewalk. Authorities did not charge Zimmerman with a crime because of the law. 

But former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who signed the statute⁴ in 2005, doesn't think it applies in the Trayvon Martin case.

"'Stand Your Ground' means 'Stand Your Ground.' It doesn't mean chase after somebody who's turned their back," Bush said.

Supporters of the "Stand Your Ground" law said it has reduced violent crime and protects citizens who are trying to defend themselves. Greg Stone favored expanding gun rights laws.

"Its been proven over and over again that it will make it more safe. An armed society is a polite society," said Stone.

Daniel Gross with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence disagreed, and told members of Congress the law needs close examination.

"In Florida law enforcement authorities do not have the discretion⁵ to take away licenses⁷ to carry concealed⁸ weapons even from those who have killed unarmed people, which occurs with alarming regularity⁹ in states like Florida with Stand Your Ground or, more aptly named 'Shoot first, ask questions later', laws," said Gross.

Florida law enforcement data indicate the number of justifiable¹⁰ homicide cases tripled in the first five years the "Stand Your Ground" law was on the books. Florida criminal defense attorney Kendell Coffey via Skype.

"The way it [the Stand Your Ground law] is being applied¹¹ and the way juries are reacting, it's tantamount to a license⁶ to kill anytime the shooter makes a claim of self-defense and there are no eyewitnesses¹² to contradict the shooter's claim," said Coffey. 

Former Florida state senator Durell Peaden, who helped craft the law, said it was not meant to allow abuse. "This law says nothing about vigilante type law. It says nothing about following anybody, it says nothing about those premeditated points by carrying a gun when you are following anyone," he said. "Those issues were not addressed and not intended to be addressed in this law."

More than half of all U.S. states have similar laws. 

The controversy¹³ surrounding them continues to grow. Many of the demonstrators who have taken to the streets since the Trayvon Martin shooting hope lawmakers will take a closer look and take steps to revise them.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

4 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

5 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

6 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

7 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

8 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

9 regularity   

n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐

参考例句：

• The idea is to maintain the regularity of the heartbeat.问题就是要维持心跳的规律性。
• He exercised with a regularity that amazed us.他锻炼的规律程度令我们非常惊讶。

10 justifiable   

adj.有理由的，无可非议的

参考例句：

• What he has done is hardly justifiable.他的所作所为说不过去。
• Justifiable defense is the act being exempted from crimes.正当防卫不属于犯罪行为。

11 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

12 eyewitnesses   

目击者( eyewitness的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The examination of all the eyewitnesses took a week. 对所有证人的质询用了一周的时间。
• Several eyewitnesses testified that they saw the officers hit Miller in the face. 几位目击证人证明他们看见那几个警官打了米勒的脸。

13 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。