‘Stand your ground’ US review urged

US senator John McCain is backing President Barack Obama’s call for the so-called “stand your ground” laws in Florida and other states to be re-examined in the wake of the George Zimmerman case.

“The ‘stand your ground’ law may be something that needs to be reviewed by the Florida legislature or any other legislature that has passed such legislation,” McCain said on CNN’s State of the Union yesterday, two days after Obama discussed Zimmerman’s acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin.

The Arizona Republican said he thinks the self-defence law should be reviewed in his home state, too. “I’m confident that the members of the Arizona legislature will, because it is very controversial legislation,” McCain said. Florida and Arizona are among 30 states with “stand your ground” laws on the books.