ASBURY PARK, N.J., July 22 (UPI) -- Americans favor "stand your ground" laws in their own state, but are divided whether such a law is good or bad for public safety, Rasmussen Reports said Monday.
Forty-five percent of U.S. adults said they favor having a stand your ground law in their state, results of a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey released Monday indicated. Thirty-two percent said they opposed such a law in their state.
Florida's stand your ground self-defense law ultimately wasn't part of the murder trial of George Zimmerman in his fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black 17-year-old, that ended in Zimmerman's acquittal. However, Zimmerman cited it to justify the shooting and Sanford, Fla., police said it was why they didn't initially arrest Zimmerman after the February 2012 incident, prompting outcries and demonstrations across the United States. The verdict renewed calls to overturn such laws.
The results also indicated Americans tend to favor such a law in their state, although half said they weren't sure if their state had a stand your ground law. Rasmussen said.
Thirty states have such laws.
Rasmussen, based in Asbury Park, N.J., said Americans were evenly divided over whether such a law is good or bad for public safety.
Results are based on a survey of 1,000 adults conducted Wednesday and Thursday. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.
