Rendell Vetoes Self-Defense Bill For Outside Home
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- A bill that would have allowed Pennsylvanians to use deadly force to protect themselves outside their homes has been vetoed by Governor Ed Rendell...who had to reject an idea he favored along with the one he didn't.
The NRA liked the idea of extending the self defense concept as explained by Rendell's spokesman Gary Tuma:
"It would have expanded the principle of Castle Doctrine to allow people to use deadly force just if they felt threatened in areas other than their home."
Generally, anywhere they were entitled to be. District Attorneys across the Commonwealth opposed the change and Rendell sided with the DA's, suggesting approving it would have encouraged what he called a "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality.
But since closing a loophole in Megan's law was tied to the Castle Doctrine bill, Rendell's veto kills them both.
Two other bills were rejected by the outgoing Governor, one would have limited public access to autopsies, while the other would have given former firefighters with certain forms of cancer additional health insurance coverage.
Reported By: David Madden, KYW Newsradio
