TALLAHASSEE – Senator Chris Smith (D-Ft. Lauderdale) will join New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday to announce the launch of a national “Second Chance on Shoot First” campaign. The press conference will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
The Ft. Lauderdale Democrat was invited for the event as a result of his work here in Florida to launch the “Stand Your Ground Task Force.” The group, which met for the first time last week in Ft. Lauderdale and consists of legal experts, prosecutors, judges, and others, assembled to review Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, and ways to prevent its abuse within the legal defense system. A website, FloridaStandYourGround.org, was also launched to allow the public to weigh in on the law.
Sen. Smith will be speaking about Florida’s experience and his current efforts to address the law’s shortcomings.
The “Second Chance on Shoot First” is aimed at giving states which followed Florida’s lead on enacting similar “Stand Your Ground” legislation an opportunity to look at the law’s impact in their own states.
In addition to Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Smith is expected to be joined by other prominent national figures including the NAACP’s Hilary Shelton and Urban League President Mark Moriel.
The event will begin at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon, April 11, 2012 at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, in Washington, D.C.
