A killing should not be justified just because the person doing the killing says it is. This would make murderers innocent men. So, please, look at what we have in many of the stand-your-ground laws: If a person says he felt his life was in jeopardy, and there is no evidence to the contrary, he is off the hook. Many a killing has no witness, other than the person doing the killing. Thus, we often place in the hands of the killer the right to say whether the killing was justified.
Many a killer does not think to use this defense. And, true, there will be times when they try to use it and it will not be enough.
But, I fear for the times when it does work. I lament we have given the criminal such a tool to get off for such a serious crime.
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