ATLANTA (AP) — The Rev. Jesse Jackson is coming to Georgia to protest the state's self-defense statute known as the stand-your-ground law.

Jackson's office says he will appear Friday morning alongside local elected officials and families who've been affected by the laws that have sparked national debate since the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.

A jury exonerated George Zimmerman for shooting Martin. The case involved a Florida law that allows someone to use deadly force if they can reasonably conclude they are in physical danger.

Similar state laws, including Georgia's, go beyond traditional self-defense doctrine that requires a person who is not in their own home to retreat from a threat if possible.

Jackson and other critics say the more lenient laws lead to more violence, particularly against black males like Martin.