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South Dakota Moves to Decriminalize Murder

I am speechless enraged sad for America.

Please read the text and if you live in South Dakota please for the love of all things holy, take action. Dr. George Tiller was recently murdered and legislation like this puts physicians everywhere at risk.
State of South Dakota

EIGHTY-SIXTH SESSION
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, 2011
463S0397
HOUSE JUDICIARY ENGROSSED NO. HB 1171 –
2/9/2011
This bill has been extensively amended (hoghoused) and may no longer be consistent
with the original intention of the sponsor.
Introduced by: Representatives Jensen, Bolin, Brunner, Greenfield, Haggar, Hansen (Jon),
Hickey, Hoffman, Hubbel, Kopp, Magstadt, Miller, Nelson (Stace), Olson
(Betty), Rausch, Russell, Sly, Steele, Stricherz, Van Gerpen, Venner,
Verchio, and Willadsen and Senators Kraus, Fryslie, Lederman, and Maher
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to expand the definition of justifiable homicide to provide
for the protection of certain unborn children.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
Section 1. That 22-16-34 be amended to read as follows:
22-16-34. Homicide is justifiable if committed by any person while resisting any attempt
to murder such person, or to harm the unborn child of such person in a manner and to a degree
likely to result in the death of the unborn child, or to commit any felony upon him or her, or
upon or in any dwelling house in which such person is.
Section 2. That 22-16-35 be amended to read as follows:
0 22-16-35. Homicide is justifiable if committed by any person in the lawful defense of such
person, or of his or her husband, wife, parent, child, master, mistress, or servant, or the unborn
child of any such enumerated person, if there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design to
commit a felony, or to do some great personal injury, and imminent danger of such design being
accomplish

Deletions from existing statutes are indicated by overstrikes.- 2 – HB 1171
State of South DakotaEIGHTY-SIXTH SESSIONLEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, 2011463S0397HOUSE JUDICIARY ENGROSSED NO. HB 1171 -2/9/2011This bill has been extensively amended (hoghoused) and may no longer be consistentwith the original intention of the sponsor.Introduced by: Representatives Jensen, Bolin, Brunner, Greenfield, Haggar, Hansen (Jon),Hickey, Hoffman, Hubbel, Kopp, Magstadt, Miller, Nelson (Stace), Olson(Betty), Rausch, Russell, Sly, Steele, Stricherz, Van Gerpen, Venner,Verchio, and Willadsen and Senators Kraus, Fryslie, Lederman, and Maher1 FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to expand the definition of justifiable homicide to provide2 for the protection of certain unborn children.3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:4 Section 1. That 22-16-34 be amended to read as follows:5 22-16-34. Homicide is justifiable if committed by any person while resisting any attempt6 to murder such person, or to harm the unborn child of such person in a manner and to a degree7 likely to result in the death of the unborn child, or to commit any felony upon him or her, or8 upon or in any dwelling house in which such person is.9 Section 2. That 22-16-35 be amended to read as follows:10 22-16-35. Homicide is justifiable if committed by any person in the lawful defense of such11 person, or of his or her husband, wife, parent, child, master, mistress, or servant, or the unborn12 child of any such enumerated person, if there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design to13 commit a felony, or to do some great personal injury, and imminent danger of such design being135 copies were printed on recycled paper by the South Dakota Legislative Research Council at a cost of $.075 per page. Insertions into existing statutes are indicated by underscores.Deletions from existing statutes are indicated by overstrikes.- 2 – HB 11711 accomplish

You can find the bill here.

3 thoughts on “South Dakota Moves to Decriminalize Murder”

  1. I’ve read that several times and I’m still trying to figure out your objection to it. If someone is, as this says, defending against someone else who is trying to murder them? Why is that objectionable?
    If you are trying to kill me and I kill you instead while defending myself? I’m pretty good with that not being a crime.
    I realize that there is a potential ‘issue’ around adding “unborn child” to the clause – but I see no way that “in defense of” – but what are you trying to imply here? That there’s a way to interpret this as grounds to murder doctors who perform abortions? Because you’d be hard pressed to come up with the “if there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design to commit a felony, or to do some great personal injury, and imminent danger of such design being accomplished” part unless someone got pregnant, went to have the abortion, and then killed the doctor while the abortion was in progress…

    Or is the objection to the “or upon or in any dwelling house in which such person is” clause in the first part? Coming from Colorado where the “make my day” law has been in effect in Colorado since 1985 and pretty sure we have not “decriminalized murder.” Actually, Delaware, Illinois, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin all have similar laws actually http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_doctrine

    So, fill in the blank spots? What has you saying it is ‘decriminalizing murder’?

  2. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Jessica. I am equally horrified. It needs to be stopped.

    Poor Lucretia obviously doesn’t get it. Self defense has always been a protection against a murder charge, when it’s true self-defense. You don’t need legislation for that. But this legislation basically says that it’s okay to kill an abortion doctor. It’s a very scary and dangerous piece of legislation and people should take action now.

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