DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Two men who shot at each other in downtown Cedar Rapids are claiming a legal shield from prosecution under Iowa’s “stand your ground” law.
The Des Moines Register reports that Michael Hodges Jr., of Cedar Rapids, and Zevon Johnson, of Urbandale, have pleaded not guilty and say the law passed last year makes them immune from prosecution. Security video shows them exchanging gunfire Jan. 28 outside a downtown Cedar Rapids bar and restaurant. Johnson was wounded; Hodges was not.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder.
The law says a person doesn’t have to retreat before using deadly force if he or she thinks his or her life is being threatened.
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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
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