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April 19, 2012 / 12:51 PM

Panel will study 'Stand Your Ground' law

Sybrina Fulton (R) and Tracy Martin (C), parents of teenager Trayvon Martin who was killed by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, listen to family attorney Ben Crump at a Democratic forum called by the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, March 27, 2012 in Washington, DC. UPI/Mike Theiler

1 of 4 | Sybrina Fulton (R) and Tracy Martin (C), parents of teenager Trayvon Martin who was killed by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, listen to family attorney Ben Crump at a Democratic forum called by the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, March 27, 2012 in Washington, DC. UPI/Mike Theiler | License Photo

SANFORD, Fla., April 19 (UPI) -- Florida Gov. Rick Scott Thursday announced a 17-member panel was appointed to examine the "Stand Your Ground" law in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting.

The "highly qualified" panel includes neighborhood watch members, a retired judge and prosecution as well as defense attorneys. The panel, chaired by Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, will make recommendations to the governor and Legislature as to what changes need to be made to the law, if any.

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Greg Zimmerman admitted to shooting unarmed Martin, 17, on Feb. 26, as an act of self-defense, protected under the "Stand Your Ground" law. After going into hiding for more than a month, he surrendered to authorities April 11 and was charged with second-degree murder. A bond hearing is scheduled Friday.

Judge Jessica Recksiedler recused herself from the case Wednesday because her husband is a CNN analyst who has commented on the case. She was replaced by Judge Kenneth Lester Jr., named the top judge in Seminole County in a 2011 poll by the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

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