While Iowa has Stand-Your-Ground law on the books, it’s weak. Iowa law assumes that any time a Iowans uses a firearm for self-defense, he or she is guilty and forces the gun owner to prove their innocence in court.
That’s backwards, and it gives all the power to liberal prosecutors who are pursuing political points, not justice.
Current law here in Iowa allows gun owners to be arrested ‘just because’ following a self-defense shooting, while most states require probable cause that a crime was committed. And Iowa’s self-defense laws only allow you to invoke Stand-Your-Ground on an appeal!
Dozens of states now grant the presumption of innocence to gun owners in the wake of a self-defense shooting, forcing the government to prove their guilt, instead of forcing the gun owner to prove their innocence.
Iowa’s legislation would do that here in Iowa, while also requiring prosecutors to have evidence that a crime was committed before arresting you. In addition, this legislation creates a pre-trial immunity hearing where you can assert Stand-Your-Ground law before trial.
Sign your OFFICIAL PETITION in support of this legislation so that your State Senator and State Representative know that you want them to support this badly needed legislation!