Nancy Lockhart, M.J.

Congresswoman Corrine Brown's Floor Speech on Marissa Alexander

Congressman Corrine Brown on Marissa Alexander (Jacksonville, FL) Ruling

Congresswoman Corrine Brown Deplores Marissa Alexander Ruling (Washington, DC) Congresswoman Brown made the following statement: Earlier today, I watched in horror and extreme sadness as a judge sentenced Marissa Alexander, a documented victim of domestic violence, to a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison for firing warning shot into the air after she was attacked by her husband. This African American woman didn’t hurt anyone and now she might not hug her children for twenty years. The imbalance in this case was abundantly clear in the courtroom. On the State’s Attorney side of the room, I saw nine prosecutors and twenty officers. On Marissa’s side, I saw a lone defense attorney doing his best in what clearly an unfair fight. My first step in this case will be to bring in the nation’s best experts in domestic violence law. The Florida criminal justice system has sent two clear messages today. One is that if women who are victims of domestic violence try to protect themselves, the “Stand Your Ground Law” will not apply to them. Just minutes before the incident, Marissa’s husband told her “if I can't have you, nobody going to have you.” Millions of abused women have heard those words. Abused women like Marissa, who has a master’s degree and no prior record, need support and counseling so they don’t find themselves in these situations to begin with. Arresting and prosecuting them when no one was hurt does not help anyone. Even worse, mandatory minimum sentences just make the system appear arbitrary and cruel. The second message is that if you are black, the system will treat you differently. A mere fifty miles away in Sanford Florida, a white man who shot a black teenager and claimed self-defense was not even arrest until community leaders and people around the world expressed their outrage. I have spoken to countless lawyers and they have yet to discover any cases in Florida where an African American was able to successfully use the “Stand Your Ground Law” defense in a hearing.” Another step I will take is to call for a study into racial disparities in the application of this law. What I didn’t see in the courtroom today is mercy or justice. The three year plea deal from Angela Corey is not mercy and a mandatory twenty year sentence is not justice. I hope that the people will come to Marissa’s defense as the system has so utterly failed her. This is just the beginning, not the end.

Marissa Alexander Exclusive Interview

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Florida Stand Your Ground Law Apparently Protects Only White People - The Young Turks

Rally for Marissa Alexander

The protesters feel the judge's denial to use the "Stand Your Ground" law is unfair to victims of domestic violence. Marissa Alexander attempted to use the law after she fired a warning shot after her husband abused her, according to Alexander's defense team.

Take Action For Marissa Alexander

Marissa Alexander faces a 20 year sentence on Friday May 11th 2012. Angela Corey has the power to remove the mandatory 20 year sentence.

Please call and/or e-mail the following individuals on Tuesday May 8, 2012 through Friday May 11, 2012 and ask that Marissa Alexander's penalty is lessened. You may obtain additional information regarding her case at: www.justiceformarissa.blogspot.com

Judge J. Daniel – 904-630-7154 jprather@coj.net

Please call and e-mail State Attorney Angela Corey (Better known as special prosecutor for George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin Case)

E-mail - Acorey@coj.net

Angela Corey phone (904) 630-2400

Governor Rick Scott

Phone – 850-488-7146

E-mail Governor Scott at the following website

http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the- governor/

Write a Florida Newspaper via the NRA link below - click on the state of Florida and choose 5 newspapers

http://www.nraila.org/get-involved-locally/grassroots/write-the-media.aspx