Spring Break
Senate panel kills expansion of 'Make My Day' law
The Associated Press
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: News
DENVER - A Senate committee on Monday killed a proposal to expand Colorado's "Make My Day" law to protect the use of deadly force in self-defense in stores and other workplaces.
The law currently protects the use of deadly force in self-defense only by people who are in their homes.
The new proposal, called "Make My Day Better," passed the House 34-30 with bipartisan support. But the Senate State, Veteran and Military Affairs Committee permanently killed the measure on a 3-2, party-line vote, meaning it cannot be revived for the rest of the session.
The committee's Democrats said they feared disagreements between customers and shopkeepers could escalate into violence. The committee's two Republicans voted for the bill.
Sponsor Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, criticized "Denver Democrats" for siding with criminals and said he would try again next year.
"The Senate vote shows a blatant disregard for our right to protect ourselves from criminals without fear of prosecution," he said in a statement.
Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said store owners could end up shooting teenagers they were fearful of just because they were talking too loud, wearing their baseball hat backward or listening to rapper Snoop Dogg. Or he said a shooting could break out over shoplifting.
"What we're trying to do here I think is create some street-imposed death penalty that may be executed, excuse the pun, over a Milky Way bar," he said.
Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said expanding the law would only cover people who legitimately felt threatened, not those who fired at a person for no good reason. He pointed to the case of a Denver bar owner who was charged for shooting a man who broke in after closing as one reason the expansion was needed.
Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, said he could support expanding the law to include people who are threatened by people who broke in after the business was closed but Harvey said that wouldn't cover people who work in 24-hour businesses, like convenience stores.
The bill was backed by the County Sheriffs of Colorado but opposed by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police.
Aurora police chief Dan Oates said arguments can easily break out between business owners and customers.
"Empowering the use of deadly force by frightened people is not rational policy," Oates said.
But Douglas County Sheriff David Weaver said owners and workers had a right to defend themselves. While working as a security guard when he was younger, he recalled two guards who were attacked while they worked in stores by people who were stealing items worth less than $100.
The law currently protects the use of deadly force in self-defense only by people who are in their homes.
The new proposal, called "Make My Day Better," passed the House 34-30 with bipartisan support. But the Senate State, Veteran and Military Affairs Committee permanently killed the measure on a 3-2, party-line vote, meaning it cannot be revived for the rest of the session.
The committee's Democrats said they feared disagreements between customers and shopkeepers could escalate into violence. The committee's two Republicans voted for the bill.
Sponsor Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, criticized "Denver Democrats" for siding with criminals and said he would try again next year.
"The Senate vote shows a blatant disregard for our right to protect ourselves from criminals without fear of prosecution," he said in a statement.
Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said store owners could end up shooting teenagers they were fearful of just because they were talking too loud, wearing their baseball hat backward or listening to rapper Snoop Dogg. Or he said a shooting could break out over shoplifting.
"What we're trying to do here I think is create some street-imposed death penalty that may be executed, excuse the pun, over a Milky Way bar," he said.
Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, said expanding the law would only cover people who legitimately felt threatened, not those who fired at a person for no good reason. He pointed to the case of a Denver bar owner who was charged for shooting a man who broke in after closing as one reason the expansion was needed.
Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, said he could support expanding the law to include people who are threatened by people who broke in after the business was closed but Harvey said that wouldn't cover people who work in 24-hour businesses, like convenience stores.
The bill was backed by the County Sheriffs of Colorado but opposed by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police.
Aurora police chief Dan Oates said arguments can easily break out between business owners and customers.
"Empowering the use of deadly force by frightened people is not rational policy," Oates said.
But Douglas County Sheriff David Weaver said owners and workers had a right to defend themselves. While working as a security guard when he was younger, he recalled two guards who were attacked while they worked in stores by people who were stealing items worth less than $100.
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