Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants Armed Citizens to Have Options
Date: Dec 11, 2005 7:35 PM
Now Pennsylvania’s Governor, Ed Rendell was one of the first mayors
to support the harassment gun lawsuits.

The New GUN WEEK, December 10, 2005
Page 2

Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants Armed Citizens to Have Options

by Dave Workman
Senior Editor

A Republican state representative in Pennsylvania wants
citizens in the Keystone State to have more options when
facing criminal attack, and he has proposed legislation
that will reform the state?s self-defense law.

State Rep. Steve Cappelli of Williamsport in Lycoming
County told WNEP in Scranton that his bill would ease state
gun laws and create a ?stand your ground” principle in a
state where one currently has to retreat before they can use
lethal force in self-defense. Such statutes have come under
fire in recent years because they allegedly leave
law-abiding citizens vulnerable to criminal assault, and
subject to prosecution if they defend themselves.

?We believe people who obey the law, whether they?re in
their home, business or car have a right to defend
themselves, Cappelli said.

The law he proposes is similar to one passed earlier this
year in Florida, amid wails from anti-gunners that it would
give citizens carte blanche to shoot people they only think
are attacking them. So far, that has not been the case.
One other state, Washington, has a firmly-established
?stand-your-ground” statute that has been affirmed twice in
the past few years by that state’s Supreme Court. In
addition, similar proposals have been filed in other
states.

Cappelli said the law he is proposing ?makes it clear that
any law-abiding citizen, who has the right and who is
legally licensed to own a weapon, to stand their ground and
protect themselves, or others who are with them from that
threat. It also provides them with much needed civil
immunity from litigation that may occur after their use of
force was used in self protection.”

In Washington state, there is a unique statute that actually
provides for state reimbursement of court costs in the event
a citizen who defends himself or herself from attack is
prosecuted anyway, even after claiming self-defense. This
statute, according to some observers, has discouraged
?showcase” prosecutions of citizens who kill in
self-defense.

Not everyone supports Cappelli?s legislation. WNEP quoted
Elliott Weiss of Williamsport who called the proposal ?a bad
idea.”

?I think it would do more bad than good,” he said.
?If Williamsport?s an example, look at the violence we?ve
had. It would further increase it, more shootings, more
killings, more harm.”

While Weiss? remarks reflect the typical arguments against
such laws, another Williamsport resident told the station,
?I think it?s a good idea.”

?If somebody is going to try to hurt me,” said Ruth Hill,
?my nephew, my kids, I?m going to fight to the death.”

Cappelli predicted to the station that his legislation will
move through the legislature, but he would not predict
whether anti-gun Gov. Ed Rendell would sign it.