SELF-DEFENSE ACT 780.972
Act 309 of 2006
"An individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime at the time he or she uses deadly force may use deadly force against another individual anywhere he or she has the legal right to be with no duty to retreat if . . . [t]he individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent" the imminent death, great bodily harm, or sexual assault of himself or another individual."[
http://legislature.mi.gov/...
Stand Your Ground laws have a new limit in court. A person knocking on your front door at 3am does not give rise to a reasonable belief of imminent death or bodily harm.
Theodore Wafer has been sentenced to 15-30 years in prison for shooting Renisha McBride on his porch after she knocked on his door seeking help following a car accident. The courts have spoken with a strong prison sentence. One cannot cower behind a gun, scream out "I'm scared", and shoot anything that moves. A knock at your front door is not justification for thinking that you're about to be murdered in your own home.
Use of force is justified for self defense, but there are firm limits as to when self defense rights kick in. One must be presented with an actual, not imaginary threat, before responding with deadly force. One cannot respond to an unwelcome visitor or trespassing with deadly force. The courts got this one correct, Stand Your Ground did not cover this shooting, a murderer will spend many years in prison, and every coward with a gun will have to think twice before shooting first.