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Florida 'loud music' shooting death trial begins | Florida 'loud music' shooting death trial begins |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man accused of shooting an unarmed black teenager who refused to turn down his loud music has gone on trial in the US state of Florida. | A man accused of shooting an unarmed black teenager who refused to turn down his loud music has gone on trial in the US state of Florida. |
Michael Dunn, 47, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jordan Davis on 23 November 2012. | Michael Dunn, 47, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jordan Davis on 23 November 2012. |
The software engineer says he feared for his life when he opened fire on Davis, 17, and three other teenagers in a row at a Jacksonville petrol station. | The software engineer says he feared for his life when he opened fire on Davis, 17, and three other teenagers in a row at a Jacksonville petrol station. |
The case has drawn comparisons with the shooting of Trayvon Martin. | The case has drawn comparisons with the shooting of Trayvon Martin. |
Martin, 17, was gunned down in an Orlando suburb in February 2012 by a neighbourhood watchman, George Zimmerman, who claimed self-defence and was acquitted. | Martin, 17, was gunned down in an Orlando suburb in February 2012 by a neighbourhood watchman, George Zimmerman, who claimed self-defence and was acquitted. |
Mr Dunn faces life in prison if convicted of Davis' murder. | |
'Local thug' | 'Local thug' |
He has said he asked the car full of teenagers to turn down their stereo, but that Davis refused and the two exchanged words. | |
He alleges he saw a gun barrel pointed out the window at him before he opened fire, but police found no weapon in the teenagers' vehicle. | He alleges he saw a gun barrel pointed out the window at him before he opened fire, but police found no weapon in the teenagers' vehicle. |
Mr Dunn later told local media his case was "never about loud music". | Mr Dunn later told local media his case was "never about loud music". |
"This case is about a local thug threatening to kill me because I dared to ask him to turn the music down," he wrote in a letter. | "This case is about a local thug threatening to kill me because I dared to ask him to turn the music down," he wrote in a letter. |
Davis' parents, Ron Davis and Lucia McBath, have testified before Congress since their son's death to change the Stand Your Ground law, arguing it should require a duty-to-retreat provision. | Davis' parents, Ron Davis and Lucia McBath, have testified before Congress since their son's death to change the Stand Your Ground law, arguing it should require a duty-to-retreat provision. |
Florida's controversial measure allows people in fear of serious injury to use deadly force to defend themselves rather than retreat. | Florida's controversial measure allows people in fear of serious injury to use deadly force to defend themselves rather than retreat. |
"In your home, you have every right to protect your castle," Mr Davis told US media. | "In your home, you have every right to protect your castle," Mr Davis told US media. |
"In public, we can't all walk around acting like we are in our home, telling people what to do in a public place." | "In public, we can't all walk around acting like we are in our home, telling people what to do in a public place." |
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