Tag: the verdict

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murder News shooting

Jordan Davis’ Killer Found Guilty on 4 Counts, Mistrial on First Degree Murder

Michael Dunn

The Florida jury in the case of Michael Dunn found him guilty on four charges, including three for attempted second-degree murder, but they couldn’t reach a verdict on the most significant charge — first-degree murder in the death of Jordan Davis.

After the decisions were read out around 7 p.m. Saturday in court, Judge Russell Healey — who moments before had said that the jury had reached a verdict on all counts — declared a mistrial on the murder count.

That possibility had floated around since 4:45 p.m. Saturday, when the 12 jurors sent a note saying they’d decided on four of the five counts that Dunn faces. But they hadn’t unanimously reached a verdict “on count 1 or any of the lesser included offenses related to it.”

Count 1 is first-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Davis.

Jurors could have decided not to convict Dunn on that charge but instead find him guilty on lesser charges such as manslaughter. Or they could have acquitted him altogether on this count.

With the hung jury, prosecutors could press for a new trial on the murder charge.

Regardless — and pending defense appeals — Dunn appears set to face a lengthy prison term.

h/t CNN

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Politics

Shooting Spree – Black People The Target – Verdict Reached

Oklahoma (AP) — Two men charged with first-degree murder and hate crimes in the shooting deaths of three people last year pleaded guilty Monday and were sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Alvin Watts and Jake England changed their previous pleas of not guilty in District Court as part of a plea deal in which prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty against them.

England apologized and said he takes responsibility for his actions. Watts said nothing when offered a chance to speak in court.

Watts, 24, and England, 21, were charged with first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill and five hate crimes in the Easter weekend 2012 shootings of William Allen, Bobby Clark and Dannaer Fields, who were killed as they walked near their Tulsa homes. Two others were shot and wounded.

All five victims were black. Watts is white and England has said he is Cherokee Indian.

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Domestic Policies News Politics trayvon martin

Trayvon

A young African-American man is dead. He was armed only with Skittles and a hoodie, which now qualifies as dangerous. He reacted when a self-styled and armed neighborhood watchman bothered him for little reason other than he seemed to be threatened that an African-American male was walking the gated premises. The laws of Florida allow armed people to shoot first and ask questions later.

This was the recipe for travesty, and I’m sure it won’t be the last time it happens.

For all of the talk about having an African-American president, we are not a post-racial society. Race plays an important, and in this case an explosive role in our civic culture. President Obama has shied away from invoking race where it is an issue and, in my mind, he hasn’t done enough to focus Americans on the continuing injustice that colors our system. He should be speaking out more and letting America know that we have much work to do to achieve equality in society and fairness under the law.

Now there’s talk that the Department of Justice ought to file civil rights charges against George Zimmerman. Perhaps, like OJ Simpson, that will provide the family with closure and provide for some kind of punishment. There’s also talk of plots against Mr. Zimmerman and I truly hope that he remains safe. Violence should not beget more violence.

What truly needs to happen is that laws like Florida’s that allow people to legally acquire firearms and use them preemptively must be stricken from the books. How many innocent people need to die before we do that?

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