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| Florida man charged over shooting in 'stand your ground' case | Florida man charged over shooting in 'stand your ground' case |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Florida man has been charged with manslaughter for a July shooting during an argument over a parking space, nearly a month after police initially declined to arrest him due to the state’s “stand your ground” (SYG) self-defense law. | A Florida man has been charged with manslaughter for a July shooting during an argument over a parking space, nearly a month after police initially declined to arrest him due to the state’s “stand your ground” (SYG) self-defense law. |
| Michael Drejka, 48, was taken into custody on Monday for the shooting of Markeis McGlockton, the Pinellas county sheriff’s office said in a statement. Drejka allegedly drew a legally concealed handgun and shot McGlockton in the chest on 19 July after the 28-year-old had shoved him to the ground during a brief confrontation. | Michael Drejka, 48, was taken into custody on Monday for the shooting of Markeis McGlockton, the Pinellas county sheriff’s office said in a statement. Drejka allegedly drew a legally concealed handgun and shot McGlockton in the chest on 19 July after the 28-year-old had shoved him to the ground during a brief confrontation. |
| The decision was made by the state attorney Bernie McCabe after the Pinellas county sheriff, Bob Gualtieri, had for weeks refused to arrest Drejka, citing SYG. | The decision was made by the state attorney Bernie McCabe after the Pinellas county sheriff, Bob Gualtieri, had for weeks refused to arrest Drejka, citing SYG. |
| On Monday, Gualtieri said he supported the decision from McCabe’s office to bring charges, and would not comment further through the duration of the case. As of Monday afternoon, Drejka was being held on a $100,000 bond. | On Monday, Gualtieri said he supported the decision from McCabe’s office to bring charges, and would not comment further through the duration of the case. As of Monday afternoon, Drejka was being held on a $100,000 bond. |
| In a statement, McGlockton’s family, which has been pushing for charges to be filed, said the decision brought “a small measure of comfort in our time of profound mourning”. | In a statement, McGlockton’s family, which has been pushing for charges to be filed, said the decision brought “a small measure of comfort in our time of profound mourning”. |
| The statement continued: “This man killed Markeis in cold blood, without a second thought about the devastating impact his actions would have on our family, but this charge gives us a measure of hope that the truth will win and justice will prevail in the end.” | The statement continued: “This man killed Markeis in cold blood, without a second thought about the devastating impact his actions would have on our family, but this charge gives us a measure of hope that the truth will win and justice will prevail in the end.” |
| The shooting occurred when Drejka got involved in a shouting match outside a Clearwater, Florida, convenience store with McGlockton’s girlfriend Britany Jacobs. Officials said Drejka accused her of having parked in a handicapped space without the proper permit. | The shooting occurred when Drejka got involved in a shouting match outside a Clearwater, Florida, convenience store with McGlockton’s girlfriend Britany Jacobs. Officials said Drejka accused her of having parked in a handicapped space without the proper permit. |
| McGlockton was in the store with his five-year-old son when Drejka approached the car where Jacobs was sitting, but ran out when he heard yelling. Video surveillance footage showed McGlockton approaching Drejka, who was a few feet away from Jacobs, and shoving him to the ground. From the ground, Drejka was seen drawing a legally carried concealed weapon and firing once at McGlockton, who had begun backing away after pushing Drejka down. | McGlockton was in the store with his five-year-old son when Drejka approached the car where Jacobs was sitting, but ran out when he heard yelling. Video surveillance footage showed McGlockton approaching Drejka, who was a few feet away from Jacobs, and shoving him to the ground. From the ground, Drejka was seen drawing a legally carried concealed weapon and firing once at McGlockton, who had begun backing away after pushing Drejka down. |
| SYG laws hold that a person has no duty to attempt to retreat during a confrontation, and that a person may use deadly force to defend against a perceived threat against one’s own life. | SYG laws hold that a person has no duty to attempt to retreat during a confrontation, and that a person may use deadly force to defend against a perceived threat against one’s own life. |
| The laws were first passed in Florida in 2006 and eventually made their way to more than 30 states through efforts by the American Legislative Exchange Council, or Alec, a conservative not-for-profit coalition which drafts model legislation for state lawmakers to introduce. They largely became known to the US public during the aftermath of the killing of Trayvon Martin, another case with a black victim and a non-black shooter. | The laws were first passed in Florida in 2006 and eventually made their way to more than 30 states through efforts by the American Legislative Exchange Council, or Alec, a conservative not-for-profit coalition which drafts model legislation for state lawmakers to introduce. They largely became known to the US public during the aftermath of the killing of Trayvon Martin, another case with a black victim and a non-black shooter. |
| “My first thought on hearing this news was: it’s about time,” said the civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Jacobs and has challenged SYG as a get-out-of-jail-free card that is applied in racially discriminatory ways. | “My first thought on hearing this news was: it’s about time,” said the civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Jacobs and has challenged SYG as a get-out-of-jail-free card that is applied in racially discriminatory ways. |
| “I firmly stand behind the decision by the state attorney’s office to charge Michael Drejka with manslaughter for killing Markeis McGlockton. This self-appointed wannabe cop attempted to hide behind ‘Stand Your Ground’ to defend his indefensible actions, but the truth has finally cut through the noise.” | |
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