Vice President Biden said Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law would likely be thoroughly examined in the aftermath of Trayvon Martin’s death.
“I’m confident the people of Florida will debate and discuss whether or not this law, the Stand Your Ground law, whether is being applied as it was intended to be applied and whether or not as intended it makes sense,” Biden said on CBS's “Face the Nation,” which will air Sunday. “But that’s a decision for the state to make.”
Biden emphasized individuals should have their Second Amendments rights, but he warned that this protection should not “put [individuals] in harm's way.”
Biden said that an examination of the "Stand Your Ground" laws, which are in place in 20 states, was not a federal matter.
“The premise that [having a gun] makes you safer, I’m not so sure of, but that’s a decision for the states to make, and my guess is that part of debate in Florida will be discussion of that law.”
Martin, 17, was shot in Florida last month by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Zimmerman is still free, claiming he acted in self-defense even though Martin was unarmed.
Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" law permits an individual who feels threatened to “stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force.”
President Obama has called for a thorough investigation into the killing, making a rare personal intervention into a racially charged issue that has captivated the nation.
“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said.
Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have pointed out the incident could have been spurred by racial profiling. Martin was an African-American and Zimmerman is Hispanic.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tenn.) called for Zimmerman’s arrest Friday.
Alicia Cohn contributed to this report.
