I am writing this petition out of a deeply personal experience. I was recently attacked by an individual named Shannon Mills. My boyfriend, Shawn Poling, came to my rescue as he feared for my life due to my congenital heart disease and impending open heart surgery. In defending me, he was assaulted by Ms. Mills and subsequently charged for his actions in self-defense.

I feel like justice wasn't served in our case, which has led me to lose faith in the justice system. The current law leaves room for victims who defend themselves or their loved ones from being unjustly charged and penalized.

This is not just about us; it's about everyone who might find themselves in a similar situation. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), U.S citizens defended themselves with a gun in nearly 1 million incidents between 2007-2011 (source: Bureau of Justice Statistics). Yet, many of these defenders face legal repercussions due to ambiguous laws around self-defense.

We must reform our laws so that individuals have clear rights when it comes to defending themselves or others from harm without fear of legal consequences. It's time we prioritize victim protection over penalizing those forced into defensive action.

Please sign this petition if you believe that everyone should have the right to defend themselves without fear of being charged unfairly by the law.