[ad_1]
A man from Florida is currently on trial for the shooting death of a man last year in what would have been caused by a dispute over a parking spot.
Michael Drejka, 49, faces manslaughter charges for shooting Markeis McGlockton, 28, outside a Clearwater convenience store parking lot on July 19, 2018. While Drejka's lawyers claimed that he had acted in self-defense, McGlockton had thrown him to the ground. his girlfriend threatened him, prosecutors said that McGlockton was turning away from Drejka when he shot her in the chest, according to CNN.
The news channel noted that both the defense and the prosecution claimed that the surveillance footage showing the shots proved their version of the story.
*** WARNING: The video below illustrates the violence and could disturb some viewers. Please use discretion. ***
How do you protect your children against predators? Join Nancy Grace and a team of world-renowned experts for the Justice Nation: Crime Stop Here online course.
On Wednesday, Britany Jacobs, the 26-year-old girlfriend of the murdered, testified about the events that led to the shooting. She said that she had arrived on the handicap field with McGlockton and their children when McGlockton went to the store for snacks.
Jacobs claimed that Drejka was bypassing her car, pushing her down the window. A quarrel ensued when Drejka asked her why she was in the parking lot, she said.
Jacobs reportedly asked Drejka if he wanted her to have her boyfriend. She claimed to have made this comment in the hope of scaring Drejka, but he ended up telling her that he should have her boyfriend if she wanted to fight.
Jacobs and McGlockton have four children, one of whom was born after his death. Jacobs was three months pregnant at the time of the July 2018 shooting.
"I just wanted that man to leave me alone," she said of Drejka, according to NBC News. "Leave me and my babies alone."
The first witness summoned by the prosecution was Richard Kelly, an employee of the Septic Tank Company who reported having had a meeting with Drejka on the same parking lot in February 2018, a few months before the violent altercation with McGlockton.
According to the WFTS, Kelly reportedly said that Drejka had threatened to park there, but he had not shot at him. Drejka explained that he was not disabled but that his mother-in-law was disabled. The disagreement would have calmed down when the convenience store owner arrived at the parking lot and Kelly left.
On Wednesday, Kelly boss John Tyler spoke and said that Drejka had called him to complain about Kelly's parking in the handicap area. Tyler claimed that Drejka said Kelly was lucky.
He said, "If I had a gun, I could have shot him," said Tyler, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The case led to a more in-depth review of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. Under the law, a person is allowed to use lethal force if it "reasonably believes that the use or threat of use of that force is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm or to prevent the imminent commission of a serious crime. . "
CNN said the law does not protect people who have incited the use of force unless they have exhausted all other options to withdraw or escape. The defense has not cited the controversial law in its argument, but claims that it is a classic case of self-defense.
Defense lawyer Bryant Camareno said in the space of 11 seconds that McGlockton was heading for Drejka and was pushing him before he was shot, according to ABC News. He also criticized the prosecutors for hinting that Drejka had had a history of altercations in the car parks, adding that neither Tyler nor Kelly had appealed to the police.
The highly publicized trial, now in its fourth day, is expected to continue for two to three weeks.
To keep up-to-date with the latest news about crime and justice, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. Listen to the last episode below:
Join Nancy Grace for her new online video series designed to help protect what you love most – your children.
[Featured image: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File]
[ad_2]
Source link