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Florida man chases thief, murders him, is cleared because of "Stand Your Ground" law
2012-04-08 18:33:24
edited 2012-04-08 18:40:15 in Meatspace
I clench my fists and yell "anime" towards an uncaring, absent God, and swear solemnly to press my thumbs into Chocolate America's eyeballs until he is blinded, to directly emasculate sporting figures, to beat the shit out of tumblr users with baseball bats, and to quietly appreciate what Waylon Smithers being gay means to me.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/29/tagblogsfindlawcom2012-blotter-idUS416295476820120329
Apparently, it is within your rights of self-defense to chase a suspected thief down for blocks and stab him. Why? Well, the judge presiding over the case says it's because the thief was carrying a bag, and the bag could've hit someone in the head and hurt them. Note that instead of calling 911 after the stabbing, he sold two of the radios. That he did not own. Apparently, neither of these criminal acts factored into the judge's decision.
e: I always forget to not leech
Comments
Florida's stand your ground law is a special kind of stupid.
Image rehosted and my opinion on florida as well.
In addition.
Still, after the fatal stabbing, Garcia did not call 911. Instead, he hid the knife and sold two of Roteta's car radios, then initially denied the killing when interviewed by police. None of those facts played into the judge's decision.
He murders somebody, obstructs the police investigation, steals the stolen goods again to sell them, and lies about it to police. According to Florida law, apparently, all of these things are completely legal.
Him not being convicted for murder I understand, since that's just Florida's law being stupid. But the other stuff...there's really no excuse for not convicting him of theft and obstruction of justice.
Wait, this ISN'T the Treyvon Martin case?
Oh wow, this is just adding fuel to the fire.
I'm embarrassed about my former home state.
Keep in mind that the victim here was only a suspected thief -- for all we know, the accused is a murderer, thief and liar without any factor that could justify any element of this.
Thats what I thought as well till the OP said about stabbing.
But looking at the law, it says that there isn't an obligation to retreat so apparently he was within his rights to chase him and stab him
I had the feeling this wasn't the Trayvon Martin case when I noticed the title said "thief".
^That didn't completely rule it out given that Trayvon had previously been found at school with a bunch of stolen jewelry.
(Not that that makes his being shot okay or anything; I'm just saying why I still thought it might be Trayvon despite the title)