Jordan Davis' parents will continue fight against 'stand your ground'

House subcommittee voted against repeal Thursday

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Those who want to repeal Florida's "stand your ground" law will continue their fight.

Florida lawmakers decided against the repeal of the law Thursday, despite a plea from Jordan Davis' parents. They testified before a House subcommittee about their son's shooting death outside a Southside gas station last year.

Police say Michael Dunn fired the shots. Davis' parents believe Dunn was emboldened by the stand your ground law, but their efforts to overturn the law in Tallahassee were unsuccessful.

"Moments later, anger and empowered by his gun and the protection of Florida's stand your ground laws, Mr. Dunn, and what he claims was self-defense, opened fire on my son and his friends, simply as they sat in their car," said Lucie McBath, Jordan's mother.

"The person that murdered my son, he felt emboldened by these loopholes," Ron Davis, Jordan's father said.

The subcommittee voted 11-2 against repealing the law. Ron Davis said he's encouraged, despite the vote.

"I was grateful for the chance to go in there and speak with the House. I think that it went well," he said in a phone interview Friday. "I think that they understand that a lot of people have a problem with stand you ground, the way it's written."

John Phillips, the Davis family's attorney, believes a repeal of the law goes too far, but he thinks the law can be rewritten in the future.

"Stand your ground is broken. It is repairable," Phillips said. "It's not entirely something we should all throw out, because we all have rights."

The Davis family plans to keep fighting for changes in the law while preparing for Dunn's February trial.