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A Pennsylvania bill modfiying the duty to retreat in the face of a threat of death or serious bodily injury has passed the Pennsylvania General Assembly and is awaiting approval by Governor Tom Corbett.

Under existing law, a person has a duty to retreat from a threat of death or serious bodily injury if 1.) he can retreat with complete safety and 2.) he is not in his home or place of business.  With the new law, a person who is in a place where she or he has the right to be may legally meet a threat of death or serious bodily injury with deadly force without being required to escape.  The statute would also create immunity from a civil suit in cases where a person properly used force in self defense.

For more information, go to:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2011&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0040&pn=1038

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Read.aspx?ID=6937