Michigan Self-defense shooters protected

The Detriot Free Press reports:

Armed citizens who shoot in self-defense would gain legal protection from civil lawsuits and criminal charges under six bills signed Thursday by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

The bill-signings produced barbs between Granholm and a Republican senator who backed the bills.

The legislation, promoted by gun-rights activists, clarifies when a person can use deadly force in self-defense during break-ins, carjackings and other potentially violent crimes -- even in incidents away from the person's home.

Local prosecutors still could bring criminal charges if they believe someone was wrongly shot in the name of self-defense. But convictions will be very difficult, said Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt, a leading advocate for the new laws.

"This gives the homeowner and people who use firearms to protect themselves an added measure of security against the criminal element," Cropsey said.

While Cropsey praised Granholm for signing the bills, he accused her of acting out of election-year politics rather than personal support.

"Her natural constituency is the antigun crowd," he said of Granholm. "She knows the polling data supporting this is so high, she'd be nuts to veto it."

Another sad day for the gun banning crowd.