'Stand your ground' killer Michael Drejka sentenced to 20 years in slaying over parking space
Oct 10, 2019, 11:55 AM ET
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WATCH Michael Drejka found guilty of manslaughter
A Florida man found guilty of manslaughter in the 2018 killing of an unarmed father he shot in a dispute over a handicap parking space was sentenced Wednesday to serve 20 years in prison.
Michael Drejka, 48, learned his fate after Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone heard from family members of the victim, Markeis McGlockton, including his parents and the mother of his four children, Britany Jacobs.
"The defendant's weakness, his cowardice and his anger are the reasons Markeis is dead," said Jacobs, reading from a prepared statement.
"Think about raising four children alone without their daddy. Without Markeis my world can never be whole again," said Jacobs, asking Judge Bulone for a maximum sentence of 30 years.
Judge Bulone, who described Drejka as a "wannabe cop," rejected a request from Drejka's defense attorneys for a lenient sentence of probation and house arrest.
Pinellas County Sheriffs Office via AP
Michael Drejka is seen in an Aug. 13, 2018 photo provided by the Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff's Office.
Bulone said that while Florida allows people like Drejka to hold permits to carry concealed weapons, "With those rights come responsibilities."
A Florida jury deliberated for just six hours before finding a man guilty of manslaughter in the 2018 killing of an unarmed father he shot in front of his family in a dispute over a handicap parking space.
Michael Drejka had argued he acted in self-defense, and initially invoked the controversial "stand your ground" law that earned widespread attention during the trial of Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman in 2013 killing of African-American teenager Trayvon Martin.
A jury found Drejka guilty of manslaughter in August after deliberating for about six hours. Drejka refused to speak at the sentencing.
Pinellas County Sheriffs Office via AP, FILE
In this Thursday, July 19, 2018 image taken from surveillance video released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Markeis McGlockton, far left, is shot by Michael Drejka during an altercation in a parking lot in Clearwater, Fla.
Just hours after gunning down Markeis McGlockton, Drejka told detectives he opened fire on July 19, 2018, when the unarmed man shoved him to the ground outside a Circle A store in Clearwater, Florida, and took one step toward him, a scenario the jury rejected after viewing security video multiple times that showed the victim step back when he saw Drejka pull a firearm.
Drejka, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon when he shot McGlockton, initially invoked Florida's so-called "stand your ground" self-defense law, which went into effect in 2005. It allowed people to use lethal force if they consider their lives to be in imminent jeopardy.
The security video of Drejka shooting McGlockton was played multiple times for the six-member jury. The footage showed Drejka apparently arguing with McGlockton's girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, over why she was parked in a handicap space when McGlockton came out of the store and shoved Drejka to the ground. In a split second, Drejka pulled his gun and fired as McGlockton seemed to be stepping away from McGlockton, according to the security video.
'Stand your ground' killer sentenced to 20 years in slaying over parking space
Fight over parking spot leads to deadly shooting in Florida
Michael Paluska, Adam Winer, WFTS
1:20 PM, Jul 19, 2018
2 hours ago
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Deputies are investigating a deadly shooting at a convenience store in unincorporated Clearwater.
Sgt. Spencer Gross of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said that the shooting stemmed from a petty argument over a parking spot.
Deputies said Michael Drejka, of Clearwater, confronted a woman who parked in a handicapped parking space outside a Circle A Food Store.
Witnesses told deputies the two were arguing because Drejka was upset the woman parked there even though she wasn't handicapped.
That's when the woman's boyfriend, Markeis McGlockton, of Clearwater, exited the store and shoved Drejka to the ground.
Drejka responded by taking out a pistol and shooting McGlockton in the chest; he later died at a local hospital.
Investigators said multiple people witnessed the shooting and called 911.
Drejka is a legal concealed weapons permit holder and may not be charged because of Florida's Stand Your Ground law, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Fight over parking spot leads to deadly shooting in Florida
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Friday that the facts are clear; McGlockton violently shoved Drejka to the ground and Drejka feared for his life. Because of that, he is covered under Florida's Stand Your Ground law.
Sheriff Gualtieri said the sheriff's office doesn't make the law, they just enforce it.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," he said. "This case may be an example of that."
The case will now go to the State Attorney's Office.
Oct 10, 2019, 11:55 AM ET
WATCH Michael Drejka found guilty of manslaughter
A Florida man found guilty of manslaughter in the 2018 killing of an unarmed father he shot in a dispute over a handicap parking space was sentenced Wednesday to serve 20 years in prison.
Michael Drejka, 48, learned his fate after Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone heard from family members of the victim, Markeis McGlockton, including his parents and the mother of his four children, Britany Jacobs.
"The defendant's weakness, his cowardice and his anger are the reasons Markeis is dead," said Jacobs, reading from a prepared statement.
"Think about raising four children alone without their daddy. Without Markeis my world can never be whole again," said Jacobs, asking Judge Bulone for a maximum sentence of 30 years.
Judge Bulone, who described Drejka as a "wannabe cop," rejected a request from Drejka's defense attorneys for a lenient sentence of probation and house arrest.
Michael Drejka is seen in an Aug. 13, 2018 photo provided by the Pinellas County, Fla., Sheriff's Office.
Bulone said that while Florida allows people like Drejka to hold permits to carry concealed weapons, "With those rights come responsibilities."
A Florida jury deliberated for just six hours before finding a man guilty of manslaughter in the 2018 killing of an unarmed father he shot in front of his family in a dispute over a handicap parking space.
Michael Drejka had argued he acted in self-defense, and initially invoked the controversial "stand your ground" law that earned widespread attention during the trial of Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman in 2013 killing of African-American teenager Trayvon Martin.
A jury found Drejka guilty of manslaughter in August after deliberating for about six hours. Drejka refused to speak at the sentencing.
In this Thursday, July 19, 2018 image taken from surveillance video released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Markeis McGlockton, far left, is shot by Michael Drejka during an altercation in a parking lot in Clearwater, Fla.
Just hours after gunning down Markeis McGlockton, Drejka told detectives he opened fire on July 19, 2018, when the unarmed man shoved him to the ground outside a Circle A store in Clearwater, Florida, and took one step toward him, a scenario the jury rejected after viewing security video multiple times that showed the victim step back when he saw Drejka pull a firearm.
Drejka, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon when he shot McGlockton, initially invoked Florida's so-called "stand your ground" self-defense law, which went into effect in 2005. It allowed people to use lethal force if they consider their lives to be in imminent jeopardy.
The security video of Drejka shooting McGlockton was played multiple times for the six-member jury. The footage showed Drejka apparently arguing with McGlockton's girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, over why she was parked in a handicap space when McGlockton came out of the store and shoved Drejka to the ground. In a split second, Drejka pulled his gun and fired as McGlockton seemed to be stepping away from McGlockton, according to the security video.
'Stand your ground' killer sentenced to 20 years in slaying over parking space
Fight over parking spot leads to deadly shooting in Florida
Michael Paluska, Adam Winer, WFTS
1:20 PM, Jul 19, 2018
2 hours ago
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Deputies are investigating a deadly shooting at a convenience store in unincorporated Clearwater.
Sgt. Spencer Gross of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said that the shooting stemmed from a petty argument over a parking spot.
Deputies said Michael Drejka, of Clearwater, confronted a woman who parked in a handicapped parking space outside a Circle A Food Store.
Witnesses told deputies the two were arguing because Drejka was upset the woman parked there even though she wasn't handicapped.
That's when the woman's boyfriend, Markeis McGlockton, of Clearwater, exited the store and shoved Drejka to the ground.
Drejka responded by taking out a pistol and shooting McGlockton in the chest; he later died at a local hospital.
Investigators said multiple people witnessed the shooting and called 911.
Drejka is a legal concealed weapons permit holder and may not be charged because of Florida's Stand Your Ground law, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Fight over parking spot leads to deadly shooting in Florida
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Friday that the facts are clear; McGlockton violently shoved Drejka to the ground and Drejka feared for his life. Because of that, he is covered under Florida's Stand Your Ground law.
Sheriff Gualtieri said the sheriff's office doesn't make the law, they just enforce it.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," he said. "This case may be an example of that."
The case will now go to the State Attorney's Office.
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just so nikkas can prepare themselves on how to approach situations with these nonblack men.
