Archive for the ‘Stand Your Ground Law’ Category

Daily Skimm: Abortion Pills, Leaked Documents, and Super Mario Bros – theSkimm

Whats doing some digging

The Justice Dept. Over the weekend, the DOJ said it launched an investigation to figure out how leaks of classified intelligence documents ended up on social media. As early as February, docs more than 100 of them detailing everything from the war efforts in Ukraine to assessments on China and the Middle East were posted on platforms like Twitter, Discord, and 4Chan. US officials said the documents appear real, though some numbers are wrong and some of the docs may have been altered. Its unclear how damaging this could all be,but the leaks exposed how the US spies on its allies as well as its adversaries. It also initially raised concerns ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive this spring, but so far none of the docs appear to share major information about those plans. While some Ukrainian officials are pointing fingers at Russia as the culprit, the US is still looking into whos responsible with some officials reportedly speculating the source may have been American.

Oh and speaking of controversies on social media, Twitters labeled the BBC as government funded media on the platform, almost a week after it labeled NPR state-affiliated media. Both news orgs pointed out that they're editorially independent and not state-run.

Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). On Saturday, he called for the pardon of an Army sergeant convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter protester. In 2020, Daniel Perry shot and killed 28-year-old Garrett Foster at an Austin demonstration, while driving an Uber near protesters. Perrys lawyers argued that Foster pointed an AK-47 at Perry and that hed shot Foster five times in self-defense. But prosecutors argued Perry had other options, including driving away. A jury convicted Perry of murder his sentencing is scheduled for tomorrow. Now, Abbotts saying Perry, who faces life in prison, should be pardoned under the states stand your ground law. The measure allows Texans to fire their weapon if they feel threatened. Now its up to a Texas parole board to issue a pardon recommendation for Perry. If that happens, Abbotts expected to sign it.

Iran. Over the weekend, Iranian police said theyve started to install cameras in public places to help them crack down on unveiled women. Reminder: last year, the police killing of Mahsa Amini led to nationwide protests against the countrys hijab law. While those protests have largely subsided, women have been openly defying the law, burning their hijabs and refusing to wear them. Now, police say the smart cameras will help them send a text message to violators, warning them against breaking the rules and reportedly threatening them with court proceedings.

Taylor Swifts moving on from the 1.

Jon Rahm.

The Super Mario Bros.

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Daily Skimm: Abortion Pills, Leaked Documents, and Super Mario Bros - theSkimm

U.S. Army sergeant found guilty of murder in 2020 shooting of Austin … – The Texas Tribune

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A Travis County jury found Army Sgt. Daniel Perry, 33, guilty of murder on Friday, almost three years after he shot and killed Austin protester Garrett Foster.

In 2021 Perry was indicted for murder, aggravated assault and deadly conduct charges for shooting Foster during a July 2020 protest in downtown Austin. The jury also found Perry not guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after deliberating for 17 hours Thursday and Friday following an eight-day trial.

The indictment came one year after Texans took to the streets to protest police brutality following the murder of George Floyd, a Black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer in May 2020.

Foster attended an Austin protest on July 25 while Perry was downtown driving for Uber. According to police, Perry stopped his car and honked at people protesting while they walked through the street, blocks from the state Capitol. Seconds later, he drove his car into the crowd, police said.

Foster, who was a 28-year-old white man and an Air Force veteran, had been seen openly carrying an AK-47 rifle at the time, which is legal. There are conflicting accounts as to whether Foster raised the rifle to the driver first but seconds later Perry, who was also legally armed, shot and killed Foster and fled the area, police said. He called the police and reported what happened, claiming he shot in self defense after Foster aimed his weapon at him. Perry is also a white man.

The case sparked debates over Texas stand your ground law, which allows people to use deadly force against someone else if they feel they are in danger. But Perrys social media posts about retaliating against protesters raised questions about the shooters state of mind and his self-defense claim.

The stand your ground law prohibits an individual from arguing self-defense if they provoked a threat from someone else. Witnesses said that Perry seemed to drive threateningly into the crowd before shots were fired, and his actions seemed intentional.

Judge Clifford Brown said the sentencing hearing could happen as early as next Tuesday, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Perry faces at least five years in prison, but murder convictions can result in a life sentence in Texas.

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U.S. Army sergeant found guilty of murder in 2020 shooting of Austin ... - The Texas Tribune

Villager using Stand Your Ground defense in UPS golf cart delivery … – Villages-News

David Aaron Clement

A Villager is using a Stand Your Ground defense in a UPS golf cart holiday delivery dispute that ended in his arrest.

A motion hearing is set this week in the case of 57-year-old David Aaron Clement of the Village of Bonita. He was arrested in December while working as a golf cart delivery driver for UPS.

The UPS manager on Dec. 16 informed Clement the golf cart he had been using was going to be used by someone else and ordered Clement to get out of the vehicle, according to an arrest report from the Sumter County Sheriffs Office. Clement refused to exit the vehicle, prompting the 6 foot fall UPS manager to get into the golf cart and sit beside Clement, triggering an alleged altercation between the two men. Clement was arrested on a charge of battery.

He has since hired defense attorney Mark Conan, who earlier this year successfully defended a Villager who had been accused of battering a neighbor with whom he had a long-running feud.

Conan has filed a motion seeking dismissal of the case against Clement based on self-defense immunity.

In the motion, Conan claims it was the UPS manager, who was upset with Clement from an incident the previous day and was using a hostile tone, and body slammed Clement. The motion claims the body slam was the initial contact between the two men which eventually led to Clements arrest. Though the original arrest report said that witnesses corroborated the UPS managers version of events, Conan points out the UPS manager waited three hours after the alleged altercation before calling law enforcement.

In the motion, Conan argues that if a person is in a place they lawfully have a right to be and they are confronted with any type of force, deadly or not, the person no longer has a duty to retreat and can defend themselves with deadly force if necessary.

The motion is scheduled to be heard Thursday in Sumter County Court.

Floridas Stand Your Ground law came into the national spotlight in 2012 after George Zimmerman notoriously shot and killed teenager Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman was acquitted in the case. Stand Your Ground had been signed into law in 2005 by Gov. Jeb Bush. Thanks to the Zimmerman case, the legacy of Stand Your Ground dogged Bushs ill-fated 2016 run for the White House.

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Villager using Stand Your Ground defense in UPS golf cart delivery ... - Villages-News

Florida Senate to vote on permitless carry bill – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WSVN) - Floridians may soon no longer need a permit to carry a gun. The state Senate is set to take up the permitless carry bill on Wednesday, following the passage of a similar version in the House last week.

The new law would allow gun owners to carry concealed weapons without the need for a previously required license and training.

If the measure is approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida would join 26 other states that have already enacted permitless carry laws.

Florida already has some of the most lenient gun laws in the country, including the Stand Your Ground law that allows individuals to use deadly force in self-defense. However, the proposed permitless carry law would go even further in easing restrictions on gun ownership and use.

The fate of the permitless carry bill now rests in the hands of the State Senate, with many eyes watching to see whether Florida will join the growing number of states that allow permitless carry or whether it will maintain its current restrictions on gun ownership and concealed weapons.

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Florida Senate to vote on permitless carry bill - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

Victims of spring break double shooting that left one dead are from metro Atlanta – WSB Atlanta

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. Channel 2 Action News has learned that two college students who were shot a week ago while on spring break in Miami Beach are from metro Atlanta.

The Miami Beach Police Department said they were called out to the area of 7 Street and Ocean drive shortly after 10:30 p.m. Friday and found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, according to an incident report we obtained on Thursday.

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Osagie Jordan Idahosa, 21, of Ellenwood, was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. Tameen Abdullah, 21, of McDonough, was also injured and was last listed in critical condition.

Investigators said at the time that they had taken a man into custody, who was cooperating with the investigation. The report listed him as Lawarren Omeal Meadows, 23, of Tallahassee, Florida.

When police arrived at the scene, investigators said Meadows came up to the officers and told them it was me. They said Meadows admitted to the deadly shooting and was immediately placed into handcuffs.

While he was detained, Meadows made spontaneous statements saying that someone pulled a gun on him, forcing him to defend himself.

So far, Meadows has not been charged because police are looking into his self-defense claim under Floridas Stand Your Ground law.

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WALB-TV spoke to Idahosas brother, Sammy Idahosa, who said his family has been left in disbelief about what happened.

Jordan was a special guy. He went from being homeschooled to being a scholar. Theres millions and millions of memories of me and Jordan. We grew up three years apart, and we practically did everything together. Hes like my twin brother, Sammy Idahosa told WALB-TV. Jordan was the first Idahosa to depart from us. It doesnt feel real. I just want people to know my brother was a soldier. My brother was a warrior and still is in spirit.

Idahosa was a student with South Georgia State College but was also taking an entry-level course at Valdosta State. Neither school would make a statement on the death to WALB-TV.

Just over 24 hours later, another deadly shooting was reported in Miami Beach, just a few blocks from where Idahosa was killed. Following the two shootings, it prompted the Miami Beach Police Department to issue a curfew for all of South Beach the following night.

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Victims of spring break double shooting that left one dead are from metro Atlanta - WSB Atlanta