Shooter's Defense: Stand Your Ground, Bush Doctrine

Florida man shot 3 people he said were threatening him
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 4, 2013 5:44 PM CDT
Shooter's Defense: Stand Your Ground, Bush Doctrine
   (Shutterstock)

A Florida man who shot three people in a surprise attack during a Labor Day barbecue has an unusual two-pronged defense: His lawyers cite both the state's "Stand Your Ground" law and the "Bush Doctrine," reports Florida Today. William Woodward, 44, told police that the men had been threatening him and his family for a month, and so he got them before they could get him. The Bush Doctrine relates to the pre-emptive nature of the attack, as in the Iraq invasion.

Woodward's attorneys are calling for a jury to decide whether the charges should be dismissed under Stand Your Ground. The Titusville man “exercised his right under Florida law to defend himself and his family that night," says their motion, referring to the earlier threats. Two of the shooting victims died and the third survived despite being hit 11 times. (More Florida stories.)

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