Prosecutors oppose Missouri bill dubbed ‘Make Murder Legal Act’ by critics

By NATHAN VICKERS

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    PLATTE, CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — A bill before the state senate has drawn harsh criticism from officials who claim the proposal would make it difficult to prosecute some murder cases.

If passed, it would mean that prosecutors could not bring charges against people who reasonably believed they were acting in self-defense. Police would need to find probable cause that shooters or other assailants acted unlawfully before arresting them.

The bill states: “This act provides that there shall be a presumption of reasonableness that the defendant believed such force was necessary to defend him or herself or a third person.”

It would also grant certain immunities for defendants who claim to have acted in self defense, saying: “This act provides that a person who uses or threatens to use force in self-defense is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force…”

The Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys has voiced opposition to the bill.

Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd told KCTV5 News it could make it difficult to take certain cases to trial.

“In many situations the only people in the room for a murder are the murderer and the victim,” he explained. “It will be impossible in Missouri to disprove the possibility of self-defense.”

Burlison did not respond to KCTV5’s request for an interview.

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