KLRU
Criminals Not Castle Doctrine To Blame
RECEIVED Fri., July 6, 2012
Dear Editor,
In the July 6 issue, in News Headlines there was a comment on the increase in the number of justifiable homicides by private citizens in the state of Texas (36 in 2006 and 48 in 2010). In the first place, I would rather the “unavoidable deaths” be those of criminals and not the innocent family members being attacked. Secondly, because the justifiable homicides committed by law enforcement officers increased by the same amount (28 in 2006 and 47 in 2010), the problem lies in more violent criminals and home invasions, not because of the enactment of the Castle doctrine (stand-your-ground laws) which only affects private citizens.
In the same section, it was noted that the traffic-fatality rate for six months in the city of Austin was 42, whereas for the same time period last year the number of deaths was 30. Using the same reasoning, the cause of the increase was the enactment of the new traffic safety initiative.
In the July 6 issue, in News Headlines there was a comment on the increase in the number of justifiable homicides by private citizens in the state of Texas (36 in 2006 and 48 in 2010). In the first place, I would rather the “unavoidable deaths” be those of criminals and not the innocent family members being attacked. Secondly, because the justifiable homicides committed by law enforcement officers increased by the same amount (28 in 2006 and 47 in 2010), the problem lies in more violent criminals and home invasions, not because of the enactment of the Castle doctrine (stand-your-ground laws) which only affects private citizens.
In the same section, it was noted that the traffic-fatality rate for six months in the city of Austin was 42, whereas for the same time period last year the number of deaths was 30. Using the same reasoning, the cause of the increase was the enactment of the new traffic safety initiative.
Mary Skiles
