Few laws are as misunderstood as Stand Your Ground. On Episode 70, Daniel Rosenberg sits down with trial attorneys Larry Schweiker and Michael Dye to explain how self-defense actually works when a murder case goes to trial.
They start with the three foundational defenses. In many cases the strongest starting point is simply that the client was not there. When the evidence puts the client at the scene, the defense may shift to self-defense, and the lawyers explain how affirmative defenses change who has to prove what.
Florida's law
The panel traces Stand Your Ground back to the castle doctrine and stresses that it depends heavily on the specific facts. They describe a case in which a teenager pressured by a gang was shot while running away.
Carrying a firearm
Florida's carry rules have changed. The lawyers explain why they still think concealed carry can be the smarter choice, and the practical mistakes gun owners make, especially when traveling between states.
Hearsay and the jury
The episode also covers hearsay and its exceptions, when group chat messages can be used as evidence and how bias shows up in jury pools for cases involving guns or a death.
The panel asks listeners to share the biggest myth they have heard about self-defense.
This brief summarizes reporting and analysis discussed on Two Taps and Friends. It is not legal advice.
