Bianca Long
Recently, the state of Florida has been receiving worldwide attention, and in the worst way possible.
The recent acquittal of George Zimmerman, who claimed that he killed teenager Trayvon Martin in self-defense, stimulated many people to question Florida’s "Stand Your Ground Law". According to the law, it is acceptable to use deadly force if someone feels that they are in serious harm. However, Florida resident Michael Dunn says that his life was in danger the night he shot at a car full of teenagers, killing 17-year-old Jordan Davis.
Dunn claims that he shot at Davis because he saw Davis reaching for a gun. Investigators later revealed that Davis never had a weapon and neither did the vehicle.
In February 2014, a jury convicted Dunn on four charges of attempted murder, but failed to reach a unanimous verdict on the most serious count, murder. This verdict sparked outrage among the African-American community nation-wide, many losing what little faith they had left in the justice system.
However, the re-trial began earlier this month, and this time the jury was able to agree on a verdict. On October 1 2014, the jury found Michael Dunn guilty of first-degree murder. Both of Davis’ parents spoke and expressed their satisfaction of their verdict, and how it gives not only their son justice, but also the many just like him, who deserve the same.
There is never a winner when someone loses their life, but Dunn’s conviction is one small victory for everyone deserving of justice.
No comments:
Post a Comment