Florida 'stand your ground' parking lot murderer finally charged with manslaughter
You may recall a blog from a couple of weeks which posted a video showing a man confronting the wifeand child of another man in the parking lot of a store.
The husband walked out of the store and pushed the other man once to the ground.
As the husband backed away from that man, the man sitting on the ground drew a pistol
and shot the husband in the chest. He died shortly after that incident.
Due to Florida's 'stand your ground' laws, the shooter was not immediately arrested,
and we weren't sure if he was ever going to be arrested due to the language of the law.
Well, today he was charged with manslaughter with a firearm and bail was set at $100,000.
If convicted, he can get up to 30 years in prison.
Some progress in the direction of justice.
In response to:
Florida 'stand your ground' shooter Michael Drejka charged with manslaughter
By Bill Hutchinson
Aug 14, 2018, 4:05 AM ET
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office via AP
WatchFlorida's 'stand your ground' shooter makes first court appearance
The Florida man who invoked the "stand your ground" self-defense law after shooting a black man in a dispute over a parking space was charged Monday with manslaughter, officials said.
Michael Drejka, 48, was arrested Monday morning in the fatal July shooting of Markeis McGlockton in Clearwater, Florida -- an incident that was caught on video which sparked an uproar after its release.
The announcement that Drejka was charged with manslaughter provided McGlockton's family with some comfort even as they continue to mourn.
McGlockton's mother, Monica Moore, said at a news conference that she has been in a "daze" since her son's death.
"So today when I head that he was being charged, I guess I could start healing," Moore said.
McGlockton's father, Michael McGlockton, said he believed Drejka should have been arrested and charged "from day one."
"When I got the news today I was happy, I was ecstatic about it, but I'm just sorry that it took so long, you know, three weeks later," he said. "I know this is going to be a long road. We are up for the task and we just hope for a good outcome at the end."
Drejka was booked at the Pinellas County Jail and bond was set at $100,000. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, at which time a judge will review his bond status and decide whether to appoint an attorney for Drejka, or if the defendant can afford to hire his own lawyer.
If convicted, Drejka faces up to 30 years in prison.
Bernie McCabe, the state attorney for Pinellas County, announced his decision to file charges against Drejka 12 days after receiving investigative reports on the case from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
"We have filed a formal charge, and he has been arrested, and he will now go through the court system," McCabe said in a statement.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri had initially declined to arrest Drejka after the gunman invoked the "stand your ground" defense, saying his decision was bound by the law.
"I support the State Attorney's decision and will have no further comment as the case continues to work its way through the criminal justice system,"...................
Florida 'stand your ground' shooter Michael Drejka charged with manslaughter
By Bill Hutchinson
Aug 14, 2018, 4:05 AM ET
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office via AP
WatchFlorida's 'stand your ground' shooter makes first court appearance
The Florida man who invoked the "stand your ground" self-defense law after shooting a black man in a dispute over a parking space was charged Monday with manslaughter, officials said.
Michael Drejka, 48, was arrested Monday morning in the fatal July shooting of Markeis McGlockton in Clearwater, Florida -- an incident that was caught on video which sparked an uproar after its release.
The announcement that Drejka was charged with manslaughter provided McGlockton's family with some comfort even as they continue to mourn.
McGlockton's mother, Monica Moore, said at a news conference that she has been in a "daze" since her son's death.
"So today when I head that he was being charged, I guess I could start healing," Moore said.
McGlockton's father, Michael McGlockton, said he believed Drejka should have been arrested and charged "from day one."
"When I got the news today I was happy, I was ecstatic about it, but I'm just sorry that it took so long, you know, three weeks later," he said. "I know this is going to be a long road. We are up for the task and we just hope for a good outcome at the end."
Drejka was booked at the Pinellas County Jail and bond was set at $100,000. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Tuesday, at which time a judge will review his bond status and decide whether to appoint an attorney for Drejka, or if the defendant can afford to hire his own lawyer.
If convicted, Drejka faces up to 30 years in prison.
Bernie McCabe, the state attorney for Pinellas County, announced his decision to file charges against Drejka 12 days after receiving investigative reports on the case from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
"We have filed a formal charge, and he has been arrested, and he will now go through the court system," McCabe said in a statement.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri had initially declined to arrest Drejka after the gunman invoked the "stand your ground" defense, saying his decision was bound by the law.
"I support the State Attorney's decision and will have no further comment as the case continues to work its way through the criminal justice system,"...................
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Comments (17)
This is a case where there are so many "shouldn't have done that"
Victim should NOT have parked in a disabled parking spot with so many other open spaces, the suspect should NOT have been so cranky about it, the victim should NOT have pushed the suspect, the suspect should NOT have fired his gun.
But the stand your ground law should stand.
F - Yeah, I remember you referring to him in the older blog as an old man. He's not that old.
I agree with what else you had to see, except that I believe the law needs to be adjusted, so
that local police forces can arrest in cases like this without an act by the state attorney.
Sad thing is nobody would press charges against him.
Instead, he got away with his bad behavior, and then persisted with that behavior, until a man, who is both a father & husband was killed.
There's little that can be done about the past though.
Now he should pay for the murder and have time off to reconsider his actions. Hopefully, this will help him make the effort to learn to better control his anger and release in a much more positive way.
Sure, but guns are stolen every day and never recovered.
What Fay said...
"Victim should NOT have parked in a disabled parking spot with so many other open spaces, the suspect should NOT have been so cranky about it, the victim should NOT have pushed the suspect, the suspect should NOT have fired his gun."
Or assuming he had a gun, he would have gotten that gun and used it against him. Or made him unable to use the gun. In other words he would have done a lot more than simply shove him away from his wife & kid. Perhaps he would have fired first. The Florida 'stand your ground ' laws encourage bloody conflict, rather than peaceful retreat. It results in many deaths of vigilante wanna be's or their targets.
They were there first.
Yes, there were mistakes all around, including Florida law.
Illegal use of firearms woudnt be tolerated
coz once u have that it will break anyone in anything.
Though its very rampant in many countries like mine.