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Florida mom denied ‘stand your ground’ defense

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A judge has denied a Florida woman’s request to use the so-called “stand your ground” law as a defense for attempted murder charges that arose after she fired a gun at her husband.

In an order dated earlier this month, Duval County Circuit Court Judge James Daniel rejected 33-year-old Marissa Alexander’s request to use the defense at her retrial.

Alexander of Jacksonville was previously denied immunity under the state’s self-defense law and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

However, that conviction was thrown out by an appeals court. It ruled the trial court mistakenly put the burden on Alexander to prove her husband abused her and that she acted in self-defense.

Alexander’s new trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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