Craig Criticizes Governor for Signing Stand Your Ground

Today, state Senator Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus) issued the following statement criticizing Governor Mike DeWine for signing Senate Bill 175, which includes the so-called Stand-Your-Ground law. “I am extremely disappointed that Governor DeWine signed Stand Your Ground into law yesterday. Within the first 72 hours of the new year, five people were murdered in Columbus. Data has proven that murder rates increase in states that have enacted similar laws. I am fearful that this murder rate will continue to accelerate, not just in the Columbus area, but across our state. How many more people of color have to be murdered because someone felt threatened by their everyday existence before we finally do something to protect their lives? We need laws that instill equity, and sadly this law is only adding to our racial division. “This law is not the answer to the ‘do something’ battle cry we heard after the Dayton shooting in August 2019. It’s a blatant insult to all those who have been impacted by gun violence. Instead of passing commonsense gun laws that 90 percent of Ohioans support, we’re enacting reckless gun deregulation that are only supported by the gun lobby. Our state government has failed.”