A Florida man who was granted Stand Your Ground immunity after he claimed he fatally shot his friend in self-defense will get his guns back. Judge John Galluzzo ruled that shooter John Wayne Rogers was entitled to the return of his guns under the law, even though Galluzzo thinks it’s a bad idea. “I have to return property that was taken under the circumstance,” he said, according to a WESH Orlando report.
“I have researched and haven’t found case law to say otherwise.” Rogers shot 34-year-old James T. DeWitt after a night of drinking at Rogers’ home. DeWitt stayed the night, and the incident occurred the following morning after they returned from an errand to buy more beer.
Rogers, who is legally blind, said he felt threatened by DeWitt, so he went into his bedroom and retrieved his assault rifle. Rogers said DeWitt charged at him and he shot; DeWitt’s girlfriend says they were “play fighting” when Rogers went into his bedroom to get the gun and then shot at DeWitt without provocation.
A Florida court granted Rogers immunity from criminal charges under the state’s Stand Your Ground law, which authorizes deadly force without any duty to retreat anywhere a person has a legal right to be.
So to be clear, according to the witness, this guy was "standing his ground" against a play fight attack launched by his friend. (Well you can imagine his terror.)
And now this individual is going to get his guns back so that he is protected in case anybody assaults him with a pillow during a pillow fight, or anything dangerous and life threatening like that.
I swear it is like the whole country has lost its fucking mind and has no idea what self defense actually means.
Someone tell me WHY a legally blind man has a gun in the first place ??? Does he drive too?? One more reason to never ever step foot in FL.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. How in the world is it legal for a "legally blind" person to own an assault rifle? And why would a judge let this "legally blind" murderer have his guns back? And how can it be perfectly legal to kill your "friend" who is a guest in your house? I am so glad that I vowed years ago never to visit Florida.
DeleteBeaglemom
It's astounding how a legally blind man can not only own a gun that he uses to shoot & kill someone but then he gets the murder weapon back.
DeleteWhat's going on here?
In Stand your ground states, more guns are sold because you can shoot first and claim self defense. The NRA and its owners, the gun manufacturers, LOVE these laws. Scared people buying more guns and with each MURDER, more guns are sold to even more frightened people. A win-win for the evil NRA and the gun manufacturers.
ReplyDeletePlease, someone tell me what it is like to shoot/kill someone.
ReplyDeleteYou alone make the choice of using a gun...so you hold life and death in your hand....you are a vessel. How exactly does that feel?
This requires a whole new definition of "friend".
ReplyDeleteThis law promotes violence...period. I have yet to hear about any situations where this law would have helped. Why was this law ever thought of? I know ALEC wrote it and of course is funded by the NRA/manufacturers...by why? Who died because they couldn't defend themselves when they felt threatened? If you felt threatened, since when were you not allowed to defend yourself or run away. This law never made sense to me except for killing someone with no consequences.
ReplyDeleteThis law was created for the sole purpose of selling more guns.
DeletePeople who WANT to shoot others need to buy more guns so they have just the right wardrobe accessory for every occasion. At the same time, people who are afraid of being shot buy weapons to defend themselves.
It's a win-win for gun manufacturers (and funeral directors) and a lose-lose for people with a brain and a conscience.
Does anyone with a brain wonder why the Europeans view our national news and shake their heads at the insanity that prevails in our courts?
ReplyDeleteNope.
DeleteI live here and I shake my head all the time.
Except for the times that I cry for the loss of an innocent person who lost their life so someone could feel more powerful.
Some time in the past, John Wayne Rogers had fired 15 shots at a cousin who wasn't injured. Rogers plea bargained it down. He's white so contrast his plea bargain with Marissa Alexander's sentence of 20 years for firing a warning shot when she was in real danger. Rogers also had been jailed because he punched a woman. Despite his past actions, then killing his friend and being legally blind, he got his assault weapon back. It gets crazier and crazier down here.
ReplyDeleteHow about Mr Judge growing a pair and making a precedent? This legally blind "friend killer" got he toys back after killing just because he "Feels Threatened"? He lost a pretty GD good friend,too! The guy went out to buy more beer because he drank the poor blind friends beer the night before. Something got to give. This law has to go for good. The woman in this cesspool couldn't call 911, even if they were "play fighting"? (Whatever the hell that is when adults are doing it).
ReplyDeleteBoycott Florida, Disneyland, key west, etc. It's not worth risking your life.