JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Brevard man may claim self-defense afforded by Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' law after fatally shooting an unarmed African-American boy in Jacksonville over Thanksgiving weekend.
While many are comparing this incident to the death of Trayvon Martin, the defendant’s lawyer says the two cases are completely different, according to a CNN report. (
http://bit.ly/Sd4vmH )
The client, 45-year-old Michael Dunn, shot at a car filled with male teens eight or nine times after getting into a dispute with them about loud music, police said.
The confrontation began when Dunn stopped at a gas station after coming from a wedding he and his girlfriend attended earlier that day, Nov. 23.
Three 17-year-olds and one 18-year-old were in a vehicle at that same gas station, and Dunn asked them to turn their music down.
After an exchange of words, Dunn ended up firing eight or nine bullets at the car, and two of the shots ended up striking 17-year-old Jordan Davis, killing him.
In court Monday, Dunn said he felt threatened and defended himself. However, officials found no weapons in the teens’ vehicle, News 4 in Jacksonville reports. (
http://bit.ly/10Pn593 )
The victim’s father, Ron Davis, says what Dunn did is a defenseless act.
CNN reports that comparisons have been made with the Trayvon Martin case, including implications of racial tension and gun control issues connected to the "Stand Your Ground" defense .
But Dunn’s attorney, Robin Lemonidis, says he shouldn’t be compared to George Zimmerman because Davis wasn’t killed in an act of “vigilante justice”.
Zimmerman, the volunteer neighborhood watchman charged in the February shooting death of 17-year-old Martin, reportedly followed the teen based on suspicion of unlawful activity before shooting him.
Dunn's attorney won't confirm what the defense strategy will be, but states "Stand Your Ground" as a possibility.
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