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Pinellas Sheriff Misapplies Stand Your Ground

Remember this one where she stood her ground but because she didn't kill the dude, she had to go to jail?

http://www.jacksonville.com/news/cr...n-sentenced-20-years-prison-stand-your-ground
I referenced that case earlier as a reason 10-20-LIFE is terrible. Her issue with self defense is that she withdrew to the garage, got the gun, and then came back. When you leave and come back it’s hard to claim imminent fear for self defense since she could’ve just left. She was convicted of the crime she committed, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and got stuck with a 20 year sentence which should’ve been much less but 10-20-LIFE removes discretion and overrides sentencing. Worst part, I think she could’ve pled out to a lesser charge, although in Angela Corey’s corrupt office maybe not.
 
Can we all agree that a dispute over someone illegally parked in a handicapped spot shouldn't end with someone dead? Yeah, they were wrong to park there, but the shooter initiated the confrontation. I don't get how you can invoke SYG when you were initially the aggressor.
I think there's enough here on either side of the argument that it's not clear and convincing in either direction. In order for justice to be served, this should go to trial where it can all be sorted out.
 
Can we all agree that a dispute over someone illegally parked in a handicapped spot shouldn't end with someone dead? Yeah, they were wrong to park there, but the shooter initiated the confrontation. I don't get how you can invoke SYG when you were initially the aggressor.
Accosting someone first shouldn't allow SYG, even if you end up having battery on yourself. It falls under a regular 'self defense' detail, and I don't like his chances. Again, manslaughter.

I just sure wish people would stop the call for 'murder.'

BTW, can the US media stop saying Zimmerman used SYG? He didn't, not remotely.
 
Drejka has been charged with manslaughter, booked into Pinellas jail and bond set at $100K.
http://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/...oter-charged-with-manslaughter?cmpid=breaking
@sk8knight will get his wish to see this go to court.
I figured this would happen after several weeks of police investigation.

The problem is that the US media doesn't understand that various laws in Florida now protect people from being arrested or put under house arrest, until they are actually charged with discharging their weapon in a crime. Merely discharging a weapon does not lead to an arrest, let alone long-term house arrest, in Florida any more.

In this case, the police could see that he fired after clear battery. So they would have to investigate any 'acosting' that happened prior, beyond what was on video.
 
That’s why it’s always funny to read the “Faux News” comments on this board and then have them hold up CNN as some paragon of journalistic integrity.
who does that? CNN is just left wing faux news. I don't see anyone claim CNN is top of the heap in journalistic integrity...much like fox news its completely one sided garbage.
 
Drejka has been charged with manslaughter, booked into Pinellas jail and bond set at $100K.

http://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/...oter-charged-with-manslaughter?cmpid=breaking

@sk8knight will get his wish to see this go to court.
Vindication!!!!!!!

The last paragraph of that blurb drives me crazy. “The law allows citizens to use deadly force if they believe their lives are in danger.” This is a mischaracterization of SYG and an oversimplification of self-defense. This is the shit that causes protests and riots.
 
This guy is apparently completely unhinged and belongs in prison:

Florida man threatened people 3 different times before shooting man in latest 'stand your ground' case


About three months ago, Richard Kelly told a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office detective he was confronted by Drejka at Circle A Food Store, the same store where he shot McGlockton. Drejka, documents said, was upset because Kelly parked in a handicapped-accessible spot. The exchange between the two became very loud and Kelly said at some point during the argument Drejka told him he was going to shoot him, documents said.

Drejka then went to his car and was rummaging around the center console, but documents said Kelly drove away. Drejka, Kelly said, also threw racial slurs at him. Kelly is black and Drejka is white.

Court documents said Drejka wanted to voice his complaint to Kelly's employer, AA Cut-Rate Septic Tank Service, so he spoke to the owner, John Tyler. Drejka told the business owner he was lucky he didn't blow his employee's head off, documents said.

...

On December 12, 2012, a woman told a Largo Police Department officer that a man driving a black Toyota truck, later identified as Drejka, pointed a gun at her and the passengers in the vehicle.

The woman pointed out the truck to the officer. The officer spoke with Drejka, documents said, and he told the officer the woman was driving too slow through a school zone.

Drejka denied pointing a gun at the occupants of the car, documents said, but he did have a gun in his vehicle. Drejka told the officer, according to a review of the police reports by the Tampa Bay Times, that he honked at the people in the other car, and that the people in the car made rude hand gestures at him.

...

On January 10, 2012, Tyler Smith, 18, was driving with a friend when a traffic light turned yellow. Smith decided not to drive through the light and stopped his vehicle.

A truck, driven by Drejka, was behind Smith. Drejka honked his horn, documents said, and yelled at Smith. Drejka held a black handgun out the driver's side window of his vehicle and motioned for Smith to walk back to his truck, documents said. Drejka then followed the teen's vehicle, passed it and slammed on his breaks, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The teens did not press charges, documents said.

When officers confronted Drejka about the incident, he said the teen's car cut him off, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He said he neither followed the teen's car nor did he show his gun, but did admit to having one in his vehicle.
 
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This guy is apparently completely unhinged and belongs in prison:

Florida man threatened people 3 different times before shooting man in latest 'stand your ground' case


About three months ago, Richard Kelly told a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office detective he was confronted by Drejka at Circle A Food Store, the same store where he shot McGlockton. Drejka, documents said, was upset because Kelly parked in a handicapped-accessible spot. The exchange between the two became very loud and Kelly said at some point during the argument Drejka told him he was going to shoot him, documents said.

Drejka then went to his car and was rummaging around the center console, but documents said Kelly drove away. Drejka, Kelly said, also threw racial slurs at him. Kelly is black and Drejka is white.

Court documents said Drejka wanted to voice his complaint to Kelly's employer, AA Cut-Rate Septic Tank Service, so he spoke to the owner, John Tyler. Drejka told the business owner he was lucky he didn't blow his employee's head off, documents said.

...

On December 12, 2012, a woman told a Largo Police Department officer that a man driving a black Toyota truck, later identified as Drejka, pointed a gun at her and the passengers in the vehicle.

The woman pointed out the truck to the officer. The officer spoke with Drejka, documents said, and he told the officer the woman was driving too slow through a school zone.

Drejka denied pointing a gun at the occupants of the car, documents said, but he did have a gun in his vehicle. Drejka told the officer, according to a review of the police reports by the Tampa Bay Times, that he honked at the people in the other car, and that the people in the car made rude hand gestures at him.

...

On January 10, 2012, Tyler Smith, 18, was driving with a friend when a traffic light turned yellow. Smith decided not to drive through the light and stopped his vehicle.

A truck, driven by Drejka, was behind Smith. Drejka honked his horn, documents said, and yelled at Smith. Drejka held a black handgun out the driver's side window of his vehicle and motioned for Smith to walk back to his truck, documents said. Drejka then followed the teen's vehicle, passed it and slammed on his breaks, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

The teens did not press charges, documents said.

When officers confronted Drejka about the incident, he said the teen's car cut him off, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He said he neither followed the teen's car nor did he show his gun, but did admit to having one in his vehicle.

I count at least 5 crimes committed amongst these stories, including twice brandishing a firearm in a threatening manner which violated Florida statute 790.10.

I don't know why the police did nothing either time, aside from the people not pressing charges (I guess?).
 
I count at least 5 crimes committed amongst these stories, including twice brandishing a firearm in a threatening manner which violated Florida statute 790.10.

I don't know why the police did nothing either time, aside from the people not pressing charges (I guess?).
In both brandishing cases, the people in the other car flagged down a patrol officer and told them about it, but refused to stick around. Drejka denied the claim, saying the people in the other car were lying, although one officer noted in his report that how would the other folks know he had a gun if he didn't show it to them. Without a witness the police cannot make an arrest.
 
In both brandishing cases, the people in the other car flagged down a patrol officer and told them about it, but refused to stick around. Drejka denied the claim, saying the people in the other car were lying, although one officer noted in his report that how would the other folks know he had a gun if he didn't show it to them. Without a witness the police cannot make an arrest.

With the insane amount of cameras on streets these days, I would have thought that one camera would have picked up on him doing this at least once. I wonder if they even checked.
 
With the insane amount of cameras on streets these days, I would have thought that one camera would have picked up on him doing this at least once. I wonder if they even checked.
Most likely not. Even if these were all the same department, he was probably not enough of a problem to be a frequent flyer. Different squads that don’t talk much and this would’ve been a bunch of isolated incidents. The officers would’ve taken the incident report and filed it and that was about it if the aggrieved party didn’t want to press charges.
 
With the insane amount of cameras on streets these days, I would have thought that one camera would have picked up on him doing this at least once. I wonder if they even checked.
Law enforcement is not DHS. Although if politicians get their way, using 'reasons' like this, they may soon be.
 
Law enforcement is not DHS. Although if politicians get their way, using 'reasons' like this, they may soon be.
The agencies have access to traffic cameras and red light cameras. But it’s going to be up to the responding officer to make an issue of it and do the work. Which means it’s not likely to happen.
 
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