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Jesse Jackson files suit against Ga. over stand your ground law

ATLANTA — Well-known civil rights activist Jesse Jackson wants Georgia's version of the stand your ground law thrown out.

Jackson announced his support of a lawsuit filed in federal court on Friday in downtown Atlanta challenging the constitutionality of the statute.

"The law must be a deterrent to murder. This law is virtually an incentive," Jackson said.

Jackson believes Georgia's law is unfairly applied in some cases and not in others.

"People are being killed and punished arbitrarily and the law should be consistent and not arbitrary," Jackson said.

"In other states this is known as 'Last Man Standing' and that's because the last man standing gets to testify at the trial," said attorney Robert Patillo.

Jackson told Channel 2's Erica Byfield he hopes the lawsuit creates a movement nationwide.

Georgia's version of the stand your ground law was enacted in 2006.

The lawsuit lists Gov. Nathan Deal and Attorney General Sam Olens as defendants.

"The governor has said in the past that he doesn't see a need to revisit that issue through legislation and he has no impact over the court proceeding," said Deal spokesperson Brian Robinson.

A spokesperson for Olens told Byfield his office had not received a copy of the lawsuit.