Since we learned about Stand Your Ground laws through the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman‘s subsequent acquittal, it’s also come to light that these laws often don’t protect people of color.
Take for instance the case of Marissa Alexander, 32, who fired a warning shot into a wall to scare her abusive husband, who wasn’t hurt at all. Alexander had a restraining order against her husband and he admitted to abusing her and his other children’s mothers. Alexander tried to use a Stand Your Ground defense. However, a Jacksonville, FL jury took only 12 minutes to sentence the mother of two to 20 years.
Feministing did a bit of Googling and found the FreeMarissaNow Tumblr, which details ways we can demand justice for Alexander.
Keep reading to find out how you can help Marissa Alexander.
