Ann Arbor calling on Michigan Legislature to repeal Stand Your Ground law

In response to the death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of the man who shot him, George Zimmerman, the Ann Arbor City Council took a stand Thursday night.

The council voted 10-1 to send a message urging state lawmakers to repeal Michigan's Self Defense Act of 2006, which has similarities to Florida's so-called Stand Your Ground law.

The resolution was sponsored by council members Chuck Warpehoski, Sumi Kailasapathy, Mike Anglin and Sabra Briere.

It notes gun violence is the leading cause of death for black teens and one of the leading causes of death for Latino and American Indian teens.

"I wish it were more than an editorial comment, but I hope our elected leaders in Lansing read it and take it to heart," Warpehoski said of the resolution.

Council members said research shows a "troubling pattern of racial disparity" in the application of Stand Your Ground laws in which white-on-black shootings are more likely to be found justified, while black-on-white shootings are less likely to be found justified.

"The more I looked into Stand Your Ground laws, the more disturbing I found them," Warpehoski said. "Research shows they do not provide a deterring effect against crimes."

Marcia Higgins, D-4th Ward, was the only one to vote against the resolution, arguing it wasn't an issue the council should be weighing in on as a body.

Kailasapathy read a prepared statement explaining why she thought it was important for the city to weigh in on state and national issues of racism and gun violence.

"We do not live in a post-racial society," she said. "Unfortunately, there are still groups of people who are profiled, stalked and killed because they belong to a stigmatized minority group."

Kailasapathy said Michigan's version of Stand Your Ground is flawed because it condones the use of deadly violence even when there is an opportunity to retreat.

"In effect, a so-called 'self-defense law' turns into a license to kill in the hands of vigilantes," Kailasapathy said.

Several residents attended Thursday's meeting and encouraged council members to approve the resolution.

"These Stand Your Ground laws have become a hunting license to be used against black men and black boys," Blaine Coleman told council members. "It's a sad thing that in 2013, black people still have to come to a City Council and say, 'Please don't shoot us.' "

Coleman is pushing the City Council to also pass a resolution urging Congress to spend $1 trillion to "rebuild Detroit and every inner city."

In 2006, Michigan passed Public Act 309 — the Michigan Self Defense Act — which mirrors the Stand Your Ground laws of other states. The law effectively eliminated Michigan's longstanding common law necessity requirement for lawful use of deadly force.

"As someone who's not big on guns, the idea that Michigan law actually allows people to use gun violence when they have an opportunity to retreat was news to me," Briere said. "It's not something I had thought about before it came up with the Trayvon Martin case."

Another Michigan law, Public Act 319 of 1990, prevents local governments from establishing their own regulations for the sale, transfer, transportation or possession of firearms and ammunition.

The City Council is calling on state lawmakers to repeal both the 1990 law and the 2006 law and to adopt "common-sense gun regulations" such as improved background checks, strengthened gun-free zones, and limits on the sale of high-capacity magazines.

"This is about public safety," said Council Member Jane Lumm, an Independent who represents the 2nd Ward. "I think having local control over these matters is a good thing."

Mayor John Hieftje, who is part of a national coalition called Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said he was happy to support the resolution Thursday night.

"Our police officers can easily go into a situation where they are outgunned, where the perpetrators of a crime have more effective weapons with higher-capacity magazines than the police officers will," he said. "That should not seem right to just about anybody."

Council Member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, said he's noticed long lines of people waiting to get concealed weapons permits from the Washtenaw County Clerk's Office.

"The lines for concealed weapons permits are just breathtaking in terms of how many people are coming in to get permits for guns," he said. "It is disturbing."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.