Georgia is not the first state that comes to mind when considering where Second Amendment rights need to be enhanced, but it is on the list.
For all the pro-gun stances of the majority of the Peach State’s political leaders, its law-abiding citizens face an elevated risk when they wield their firearms in self-defense. Gun rights are lessened when entities do not fully back strong Stand Your Ground laws.
For Georgia, that may be about to change.
2A advocates want to place the pressure on the accused and not the victim
2A advocacy group Georgia Gun Owners (GGO) announced that HB 1226 is now before the legislature. It aims to enhance legal protection for private citizens who have no choice but to use deadly force in self-defense.
“Georgia code presumes that if gun owners use a firearm in a self-defense situation, we are guilty,” GGO declared in a statement distributed to its membership. “That means that instead of the state needing to prove our guilt, gun owners need to prove our innocence. That gives all of the power to the state!”
Gun owners currently must prove their innocence after defending themselves
The group added that 20 other states corrected this loophole in protection, and HB 1226 is Georgia’s chance to get up to speed in defending Second Amendment rights.
Under the current statute, the state’s gun owners are initially presumed guilty in the aftermath of a self-defense shooting. The pressure is on the intended victim to demonstrate that they had no other choice but to use their firearm to protect themselves.
The present law states that an individual may use deadly force “only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself or herself or to a third person or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”
Therefore, the onus lies with the intended victim, not the alleged criminal, which is simply wrong. HB 1226 deserves a speedy ride through the legislature and a quick signature from the Georgia governor.
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