Rendell Hasn't Decided Whether To Sign Self Defense Bill

A gun control advocacy group is urging Governor Ed Rendell to veto a measure expanding a person’s right to self defense with deadly force.
The “castle doctrine” bill removes the duty to retreat from Pennsylvania law, allowing people to defend themselves with deadly force when attacked.
The Senate and House have both passed the measure on bipartisan votes, though the House needs to concur on the bill before it goes to Governor Rendell’s desk.
Noting the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and other law enforcement groups oppose the measure, Joe Grace of CeasefirePA is asking Rendell to veto the bill.

"The governor, as a former prosecutor, an eight-year district attorney of the state’s biggest city – we think the governor understands the dangers of this policy. The recklessness of this policy. And we believe and hope and call on the governor, with the state’s law enforcement community, to veto this bill."

Ed Marsico, the Dauphin County District Attorney and president of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association, says the bill would make it harder to prosecute criminals...

"We certainly believe that citizens in their home have every right to defend themselves. That is the current status of Pennsylvania law. What this does is give criminals on the street, give others on the street, a built-in defense, really. Defense attorneys, we believe, will exploit this."

Rendell’s spokesman says the governor hasn’t decided whether to sign or veto the bill.