HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-056-1651 - Supporint Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection
1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 City of Miami Gardens Agenda Cover Memo Council Meeting Date: April 11, 2012 Item Type: (Enter X in box) Resolution
Ordinance Other X Fiscal Impact: (Enter X in box) Yes No Ordinance Reading: (Enter X in box) 1st Reading 2nd Reading X Public Hearing: (Enter X in box) Yes No Yes No X Funding Source:
N/A Advertising Requirement: (Enter X in box) Yes No X Contract/P.O. Required: (Enter X in box) Yes No RFP/RFQ/Bid #: X N/A Strategic Plan Related (Enter X in box) Yes No Strategic Plan
Priority Area: Enhance Organizational Bus. & Economic Dev Public Safety Quality of Education Qual. of Life & City Image Communcation Strategic Plan Obj./Strategy: (list the specific
objective/strategy this item will address) X Sponsor Name Councilwoman Felicia Robinson Department: Mayor and City Council Short Title: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO CONVENE HEARINGS RELATING TO THE “STAND YOUR GROUND” LAW AND TO REPEAL THE LAW; SUPPORTING GOVERNOR SCOTT’S TASK FORCE ON CITIZEN
SAFETY AND PROTECTION; PROVIDING FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CITY CLERK; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF REPRESENTATIONS; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE Staff Summary: Trayvon Martin, a 17
year old African-American and resident of Miami-Dade County, was needlessly shot and killed by George Zimmerman on February 26, 2012. Governor Scott has appointed Lt. Governor Jennifer
Carroll to lead a Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection, which is tasked with investigating the Trayvon Martin shooting and recommending action to ensure that a tragedy such as
this does not occur in the future. The United States Department Add On Item Resolution
1515 NW 167 Street, Building 5 Suite 200 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169 of Justice’s Civil Rights Division has also launched an investigation into this incident as a potential hate crime.
George Zimmerman has not yet been charged with any crime upon his assertion of self-defense under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” Law (Florida Statutes, Section 776.013) which was enacted
by the Florida legislature in 2005. The “Stand Your Ground” Law states that a person has “no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including
deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible
felony”. There have been 130 incidents in Florida since the “Stand Your Ground” Law was passed in 2005 and incidents are decisively on the rise as 37 of those incidents have occurred
just over the last eighteen (18) months and more than seventy percent (70%) of those cases resulted in a fatality. A majority of the cases involving a fatality did not result in any
criminal charges being filed. The Trayvon Martin shooting has tragically brought national attention to the issue inherent with Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” Law, and the language of
the statute is overly broad and unevenly applied thereby creating difficulties for law enforcement and state attorneys to investigate and prosecute incidents when the law is raised as
a defense. Councilwoman Felicia Robinson is recommending that the City Council approve the attached resolution. Proposed Action: That the City Council approves the Resolution. Attachment: