Florida man convicted of manslaughter in parking lot shooting of black man

[Madmallard]

A white Florida man was convicted of manslaughter after shooting a black man during an argument over a handicapped space in a convenience store parking lot.

Michael Drejka confronted Markeis McGlockton’s girlfriend while McGlockton was inside the store. Security footage showed McGlockton exit the store and shoved Drejka to the ground. Drejka then pulled out a handgun and shot McGlockton as he backed away.

Drejka did not testify during the trial, but his interview with detectives after the shooting was played for the jury. In the interview, Drejka said he had a “pet peeve” about people abusing handicapped parking spaces.

Man convicted of manslaughter in parking lot shooting of black man

 

[Blimey]

Some conviction was necessary here because by the time he drew his gun it looked like the guy who illegally attacked him (and let's be crystal clear: he was illegally attacked by the guy who ended up dead) was withdrawing and was not going to push the confrontation beyond the initial shove.

I still believe drawing was justified, lest the original attacker press the attack, but that shooting when it looked like the attack wasn't going to be pressed was illegitimate. Had he not shot, he could have called the police and actually pressed charges on the guy who shoved him.

 

[dubleuhb]

So it wasn't a black/white thing it was about handicap parking, so why does anyone need to know one was black and one was white?

 

[Blimey]

So it wasn't a black/white thing it was about handicap parking, so why does anyone need to know one was black and one was white?

Because white people are hunting blacks all the time now, as you well know, and this is just another example of a white man killing a black man because he's black.

Or something.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

So it wasn't a black/white thing it was about handicap parking, so why does anyone need to know one was black and one was white?

When was the last time you heard a news story start with "today a black man shot a white man."?

 

[fresch]

Without sound the video is meaningless.
The backing away could be anything, the attacker stating he was getting his gun, he was going to kill him, don't get up or your dead.
The guy yelling at the parking in the handicap isn't the parking police.

 

[BDinPutnam]

At the end of the day/times, a pattern of douchey behavior will come back to haunt you.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Without sound the video is meaningless.
The backing away could be anything, the attacker stating he was getting his gun, he was going to kill him, don't get up or your dead.
The guy yelling at the parking in the handicap isn't the parking police.

Even if that were true, at that specific moment he was not in immediate danger.

 

[fresch]

Really, you were just blindsided knocked on your ass looking up. Your not at the angle of view the camera is in, called perspective, specific moment! Is easy when your outside looking in. Count the 2 seconds used to make the decision.

 

[BDinPutnam]

Even if that were true, at that specific moment he was not in immediate danger.

"Reasonably in fear for one's life."

 

[Marine Cpl]

Even then it’s murder no matter what fear you have. I believe you have to articulate that your life was in eminent danger at the moment. You can’t just kill someone for words. That would be like an ex girlfriend killing you because you said that you were going to kill her because you caught her cheating.

 

[BDinPutnam]

I was agreeing with you.

And from my understanding this entire scenario was started by the convicted.

 

[spat]

The standards we have for use of deadly force are terrible.

I'm not sure what a good standard would look like, but the current one that requires a jury to decide just how much fear the defendant (or worse, the fictitious "reasonable man") was in is absolute BS.

If you applied that as written, some guy tripping his balls off on LSD would be justified in shooting up a crowded restuarant if he thought he was being attacked by dragons or something.

In the very least, it should be spelled out exactly what sorts of situations qualify and what ones don't. But nobody holds legislators accountable for doing a crappy job.

If an architect delivered your final building plans and all the dimensions were labeled like "wall should be a reasonable height" and "stairs should be a comfortable pitch" you'd fire him before the ink was dry. The fact that we accept so much less from our legislators is a major contributing factor to the problems we have today.

 

[Celt]

Really, you were just blindsided knocked on your ass looking up. Your not at the angle of view the camera is in, called perspective, specific moment! Is easy when your outside looking in. Count the 2 seconds used to make the decision.

I agree completely.

The problem here is that the old man, who was knocked to the ground, was the instigator of the entire situation. It was not his place to confront the deadbeats over where they parked their car. As I recall, in New York State specifically, you're not permitted to use deadly physical Force if you are the instigator of what becomes a violent confrontation.

 

[fresch]

Celt, agreed he put himself in that vulnerable position, which was wrong. Being wrong however didn't give the other guy any reason/right to touch him.
If I recall N.Y. you have to throw your keys, wallet, sandwich, phone, and tell them " they are in for a time out" before YOU run away!

 

[dwa12479]

Dont start arguments over stupid shit when you're carrying. I also hate it when lazy ass dead beats park in the handicapped spots, but I'm not starting an altercation over it, especially when I'm armed.

 

[Marine Cpl]

I think even if you aren’t carrying, it isn’t your business even if you are handicapped yourself. You just don’t know what someone’s ailments are even if they don’t have a sticker. I have stood with the car running before in a handicapped space without a sticker to pick up my grandmother.

 

[GOPerfect]

A bunch of us here discussed this case when it was first in the news. My opinion has not changed; this was not a black/white issue.

This was about a skinny white guy running his mouth about something that did not concern him at all. This about someone running their fucking mouth trying really hard at being a tough guy. When he released he was not as tough as he thought, he shot another man dead in cold blood. This guy is a piece of shit and I hope and pray prison is NOT good to him!

 

[libertysnake]

Also, realistically, why even invite confrontation? Is it really worth the trouble it could cause? I could understand you're minding your business and some guy throws you to the ground -- yeah, of course you draw on him. If someone is an asshole, they're an asshole. I'm not going to start a tough guy chest beating confrontation with someone and risk it escalating.

If anything, carrying makes me desire confrontation less because I don't want to risk crazy outcomes.

 

[rustic105]

I read a great article by a lawyer – how the act of using a weapon places one's life in the hands of a few dozen strangers: witnesses, police, DA people, jurors. These people, each a stranger to me, each flawed and imperfect like I am, will decide how my life is spent because I brandished/fired a gun!

Case in point: the detective who interviewed Drejka, who wrote the police report used by the DA to file charges against Drejka did a few months later
drive up to a crime scene in his unmarked police car and then exhibit drunken behavior so egregious that the police officers on the scene felt obliged to arrest him on the spot for drunk driving and possessing a weapon while stupid!

Sumptin' to think about.

 

[Celt]

.

If anything, carrying makes me desire confrontation less because I don't want to risk crazy outcomes.

Same here, when carrying I am 110% anti confrontation. Even when not carrying, ever since I got my permit, I go out of my way to avoid trouble.

 

[Blimey]

This is a cool vid, it covers some of the interrogation. Anybody doubting the legitimacy of conviction should watch it. He admitted that he "took precautions" when confronting this woman, specifically being armed. In other words if not being armed he wouldn't have done it. He also either lied or was mistaken about the guy who pushed him stepping toward him. He also erred massively by talking to cops without a lawyer.

According to this his sentencing is tomorrow for up to 30 years. My guess is 15-20. It's worth remembering the first violent crime committed was by the shooting victim, so this guy shouldn't get the same punishment as first degree murder. He was happy to confront people though and felt like his handgun gave him the power to do it.

 

[Airborneguy]

Pretty easy one here. Shooting someone for pushing you? If I did that in uniform I’d be vilified here. Hell, nowadays if a perp pushed me to the ground, odds are they wouldn’t even draw up Assault 2.

 

[Rocpo]

Pretty easy one here. Shooting someone for pushing you? If I did that in uniform I’d be vilified here. Hell, nowadays if a perp pushed me to the ground, odds are they wouldn’t even draw up Assault 2.

And even if they did, it would be plead down to DisCon. At best.

 

[Edwardteach72]

Yea this case was pretty simple cut and dry.. fuck the dude for trying to claim stand your ground

 

[Blimey]

I guessed 15-20. He got 20.

 

[CaseHardened]

I DON'T CARE WHO DID WHAT.

What I do know is there are too many ASSHOLES who believe they are the HANDICAPPED-SPOT POLICE.

Plenty of people hold placards, with legitimate issues, that don't appear handicapped.

If a person is not displaying their placard, or you question it, just call the Police - and get on with your own business.

BTW, I'm the guy who used to maintain if you're on a WHEELCHAIR, why not just roll an extra hundred feet ? And I'm not sure I'm wrong about that. But if you're literally shuffling along, with every step another jolt of pain, you deserve a close spot.

 

[spat]

Same here, when carrying I am 110% anti confrontation. Even when not carrying, ever since I got my permit, I go out of my way to avoid trouble.

What are you going to fight some stranger over that's worth the paperwork ? Even if you kick his ass it's still going to be a PITA dealing with police and so forth afterwards.

Unless he is a serious and unavoidable threat to me or someone I care about, fuck that.

 

[Celt]

What are you going to fight some stranger over that's worth the paperwork ? Even if you kick his ass it's still going to be a PITA dealing with police and so forth afterwards.

Unless he is a serious and unavoidable threat to me or someone I care about, fuck that.

100%

Article 35 says it all, unless there is an immediate threat of serious bodily harm or death I would avoid trouble at all costs.

However, not that it's related to this story but just a general statement; sometimes you can try to avoid trouble to the best of your ability and it still comes to you.

 

[spat]

sometimes you can try to avoid trouble to the best of your ability and it still comes to you.

And that's why I carry.....