Take Three Words Out of These Laws

   Let us change Utah's Stand Your Ground Law to read, "An individual is justified in threatening or using force against another individual when and to the extent that that threat or force is necessary to defend the individual or another individual against the imminent use of unlawful force."

  That deletes, "the individual believes." As is, with the words, "the individual believes" in the law, no one can question what the individual does, no one can question what he or she believes. If the individual says he felt threatened, no one but he knows what he believes. If he says he felt threatened, that is the end of it. No trial, no indictment, no arrest . . . even if in fact it was cold-blooded murder. 

  Keep the Stand Your Ground Law. Don't toss it out. It belongs in our code of laws. We do want laws that protect you, that give you the right to use weapons to protect yourself and your family. We just don't want language to seep into those laws that allow murders to march right alongside those who are legitimately protecting themselves. 

   And, change Utah's Castle Law to say:  "A person is justified in using force against another when and to the extent that the force is necessary to prevent or terminate an attack upon his habitation." That, likewise, takes out the words, "he reasonably believes." It takes out his or her right to kill someone maliciously and frame it as having been necessary.