"
Judge Bulone, who described Drejka as a "wannabe cop," rejected a request from defense attorneys for a lenient sentence of probation and house arrest.
Defense attorney John Trevena noted that Drejka had no previous criminal record and told the judge he "has been suffering in ways that the community has no knowledge of," including being held in a cold isolation cell at the Pinellas County Jail since his conviction on Aug. 24.
"What is better for the community and the country than to give him an opportunity to speak about this incident to others as a condition of probation, rather than locking him in a cold cage, isolated from all contact for years?" Trevena said. "How does that suffice justice in this case? We would respectfully suggest that's not justice."
He also said that the sentencing guidelines of 11.5 to 30 years in prison were harsher than the punishment suggested last week for former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of murder in the 2018 fatal shooting of her neighbor Botham Jean.
Drejka's attorneys said they plan to file an appeal, asking that the conviction be overturned.
Bulone said that while Florida law allows people like Drejka to hold permits to carry concealed weapons, "with those rights come responsibilities."
(MORE: Florida 'stand your ground' shooter found guilty of manslaughter)
He said Drejka not only created a conflict and confrontation with Jacobs over her parking in a handicap space outside the Circle A store in Clearwater on July 19, 2018, but he shot McGlockton as he was retreating.
The judge noted that the entire incident was caught on security video, and showed McGlockton stepping back and turning his body when Drejka pulled a gun on him after McGlockton pushed him to ground in an attempt to defend Jacobs and their three of their young children, who were present when the shooting occurred.
(MORE: 'Stand your ground' shooter says 'I followed the law')
"The most ironic thing about this whole case is he parks illegally," Bulone said of Drejka. "He doesn't even park in a parking space. He parks close to Britany Jacobs to argue about her parking illegally and to do this he zooms up and parks illegally."
Bulone also said in his judgment that Drejka had shown no remorse for shooting McGlockton, at least during the court proceedings. The judge offered Drejka an opportunity to speak at the sentencing hearing, but Drejka declined.
"The defendant's actions were not excusable and they were not justified," Bulone said.
In addition to sentencing Drejka to two decades in prison, Bulone ordered him to pay McGlockton's family $5,000 in restitution to cover funeral expenses."
It's good to see the judge was not buying his non-sense.
