Stand Your Ground Laws can be Weapons for Murder

As Markeis McGlockton and his family look into purchasing snacks of some sort, they park in a handicap spot at a Circle A convenience store in Florida. While McGlockton and his 5 year old son leave the car and step into the store in hopes of buying food for their family,  a stranger approached the vehicle in anger. This stranger by the name of Michael Drejka was infuriated by the fact that no member of the family had seemingly contained any sort of disability and there was no permit visible in the vehicle legally allowing the family to park in the handicap spot. Drejka then began to lecture McGlockton's partner, Britney Jacobs, who was sitting in the car, as he threatened her and her family during the time period McGlockton was in the store. McGlockton soon witnessed the encounter between Drejka and Jacobs, reacting in a violent manner by pushing Drejka to the floor. After slamming Drejka to the floor, McGlockton took a few seconds stepping away from him. Drejka, claiming to have been in fear of further violence, utilized Florida's "stand your ground" laws by releasing his hidden gun and firing at McGlockton who was unarmed. Firing once, McGlockton was struck in the chest, falling before the footsteps of his infant children such as his 5 year old son.

Florida's "stand your ground laws" provides one with the ability to act with deadly force by stating, "if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony".

Now the question is if Michael Drejka was truly thrown into a situation where he felt murdering McGlockton was necessary to prevent himself from being severely injured. If one analyzes the footage of the event, you can notice McGlockton moving away from Drejka after the push which seemingly demonstrates that Drejka was not in a position where he was being threatened. The "stand your ground laws" are meant to protect those who may be thrown into a position of danger, not to provide an excuse for those seeking to punish another. This event is similar to a case we analyzed in class, where Michael Dunn fatally shot Jordan Davis, claiming he was utilizing the "stand your ground laws".

Both events consist of white males murdering unarmed African American men in cold blood. These men hide behind the law, as they use certain laws to help pursue actions of hate rather than to protect them from threats. Fortunately, Dunn and Drejka were eventually sentenced to time in jail. Yes, they were punished for their actions, but their actions resulted in the death of two innocent men.

Sources: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEwsmzxeKEw

https://www.vox.com/2019/8/24/20831092/florida-man-michael-drejka-markeis-mcglockton-stand-your-ground-found-guilty-manslaughter

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2014/1018/Michael-Dunn-loud-music-life-sentence-a-corrective-on-stand-your-ground-laws