Florida airman gets 25 years after failed stand your ground defense

[bogie]

I wouldn't have gone back in personally...

http://www.policymic.com/articles/77...our-ground-law

If you believe that the George Zimmerman verdict was fair because Florida law protects a person's right to use deadly force to defend himself, consider the case of Michael Giles.

In 2010 Giles, who is black, was a 26-year-old father of three on active duty with the U.S. Air Force stationed in Tampa, Florida, about 100 miles from where Zimmerman would fatally shoot unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin less than two years later. One night, shortly after Giles arrived at a nightclub in Tallahassee with some friends, a huge brawl broke out among 30 to 40 fraternity brothers from nearby Florida A&M University. Giles wasn't involved, but went to his car and retrieved his gun before going back to the club to find his friends. Randomly, someone from the crowd punched Giles, knocking him to the ground. Afraid for his life, Giles shot his attacker in the leg and wounded three men, none of whom died.


Immediately, Giles was arrested. He was later charged with second-degree attempted murder. Unlike Zimmerman, Giles had no criminal background. But today, the former U.S. airman is sitting in a Florida prison while Zimmerman walks free.


So, why did Giles lose his case? The prosecuting attorney argued, "There is no self-defense that is applicable based on the evidence that's before the jury," and apparently, the jury bought it. They convicted him of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and sentenced him to 25 years behind bars based on the other controversial law at play here. The rule, "10-20-Life" confers a minimum sentence of 10 years for a felony conviction where a firearm is brandished. Another 10 years is automatically added if the gun is fired, and, if someone gets shot, it goes up to 25. So there you have it.


But Giles' family isn't passively accepting the conviction or sentencing. They want the state to reevaluate his case, claiming it was wrongly decided. And apparently, lots of people agree. Already, 56,000 people have signed an online petition made by Giles' mother asking Florida Governor Rick Scott for executive clemency for her son.

[Colorado_Outback]

Personally I don't think he deserves clemency. Should have walked away and called it a day.

[TheBelly]

Agree. Giles actually walked away. Then he got a gun and went back. If you're not there, you can't be in fear for your life.

trouble didn't find him. He went and found trouble.

[hatidua]

Giles wasn't involved, but went to his car and retrieved his gun before going back to the club to find his friends.

oops.

[wctriumph]

Can't find any sympathy for him, hope he does well after he gets out.

[Skip]

I don't think you can call it "stand your ground" when you escalate.

Disengaging from the situation in public, retrieving a weapon, and then re-engaging is an escalation. I'm no fan of "duty to retreat" but there should be a duty to use your brain.

And we should be happy because this case would allow Liberals to claim SYG covers general mayhem and street violence. It most certainly does not.

[kidicarus13]

Shouldn't have went back for his friends with a pistol. I wonder if he was intoxicated. If he was I'm sure that didn't help his decision making.

[fj605]

Stay in the car and go home.

[Drucker]

If he had weighed in to help his friends right then he would have been good. Going out to get his pistol put him on the foul side. No question.

[PSS]

On the other hand if Zimmerman would have stayed in his car there wouldn't have been a confrontation either. When you don't have a dog in the fight don't make the fight your own. Some people just have to get involved. Idiots bring guns to those situations.