STAND YOUR GROUND CASE GOES DOWN IN FLAMES

by Bob Walsh

You probably know a little bit about this. The shooter is Michael Drejka, 49, of Clearwater, Florida. The shootee was Markeis McGlockton, 28, now deceased. (Drejka is White, McGlockton Black.)

Drejka has priors for hassling people about non-permit handicapped parking. He decided to hassle McGlcokton's girlfriend, who was in the parked car with a rugrat or two. When McGlockton came out of the store he took umbrage at Drejka's jacking his girlfriend up over his illegal parking and knocked Drejka on his ass. Drejka pulled his gat and McGlockton backed off a couple of steps, then started to turn away. That is when Drejka shot McGlockton. There is good quality surveillance of the whole thing from the store's parking lot cameras.

The local constabulary initially declined to arrest Drejka citing Florida's STAND YOUR GROUND statute. The law, which is 3,000 words long, was passed in 2005. Since that time there has been a 300% increase in shootings that were deemed to be justifiable in Florida, and 70% of the cases that do go to trial end in acquittal.

Drejka was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury. They were out six hours. He is being held without bond pending sentencing and could get 30 years. His lawyers say they plan an appeal.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I wonder if both the shooter and the victim were white, or black for that matter, would this case have gone to trial.