This past weekend, Michael Dunn, a white, 47 year old was convicted on several counts of attempted murder for fatally shooting Jordan Davis, a 17 year old black male. The jury failed to reach a verdict on the 1st degree murder charge, resulting in a mistrial for the charge. Dunn is currently awaiting sentencing on the other charges and could face 60 years in prison.
Dunn was at a convenience store when he encountered Davis and his friends, who were sitting in a parked car, playing loud music. The music was defined by the defense attorney in the case as "thug music". Dunn and Davis got into a verbal argument about the music, before Dunn pulled a 9mm handgun out and shot multiple times at the car full of teenagers. Dunn said he felt like his life was in danger, that he thought he saw a shotgun in the car, and acted in self-defense, according to Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law.
This isn't the first time the Stand Your Ground law has resulted in the death of a young, black male. You may remember the Trayvon Martin case last year, in which George Zimmerman fatally shot Martin after an altercation. You can read my thoughts and your fellow student comments on the Martin case here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2012/04/justice-for-trayvon.html
When Zimmerman was later acquitted of all charges, I blogged about the case again, which you can read here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2013/07/justice-for-trayvon-part-2.html
Florida's Stand Your Ground law, which is becoming popular in states all around the country, allows individuals to use deadly force to defend themselves, without any requirement to evade or retreat from a dangerous situation. Supporters say it gives power to the victims and allows people to protect themselves. Opponents say the law goes to far in allowing deadly force, even if an individual only thinks they are in a dangerous situation, which may not actually be the case.
So my question to you this week is, "What do you think of the Stand Your Ground law? Do you think Michael Dunn should be convicted of 1st degree murder in the killing of Jordan Davis?" Answers are due no later than Sunday, February 23rd, 2014
Hell yeh Dunn should be convicted this so called law enforces no justice what so ever. People are coming up with senseless excuses to murder people and by the court letting these people go free its just showing that people can kill and get away with it. Zimmerman did it and now Dunn thinks he can just kill and be innocent. This will just lead to more killing and more chaos in the world if these people are not held accountable for their actions. its a pity he isn't locked up already how many people, teenagers, black males at that, have to die before justice is realized?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Marcellus. All these convictions are getting ridiculous. I don't mean to be racial but I'm so sick of the racism with these shootings. As an African-American woman, we are often judged by the color of our skin. We are always affliated with being "ghetto". God created all of us equally and thinks of us as His children regardless of race, sexual orientation, you name it. I think Michael Dunn should be charged with 1st degree murder. George Zimmerman thought he was invincible and could murder that innocent teenage boy. The verdict was released and he was acquitted. If history repeats itself, this lowlife of a man may be set free too. Racism is alive and well and may never go away. Make love, not war. There are my tangents.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think Michael Dunn should be convicted of 1st degree murder. First off this all started when Dunn walked over to Davis's car about music? Even if Dunn didn't agree with Davis choice of music, he should of just walked away and went about his day. This could of easy been avoid if Dunn wouldnt of walked over to Davis car. So I definitely think he should be convicted, there was no need to shoot.
ReplyDeleteI would say that Michael Dunn, should be in 1st degree murder! that wasn't right enough to just shoot some innocent teens from loud music. Remember that one guy who shot a man and his wife in the theater, over texting before the movie started. Even that made me sick, because the man was checking on his 2 year old daughter with a babysitter. Just sad. For those both of the situations, does anyone just ignore, or at least go somewhere else anymore. I don't want to think about race in this case, but when its on teens or kids. Then it makes me sick to my stomach. I was even mad about his excuse saying "I was the victim." Not acceptable. I'm just glad, that Michael has 60 years in prison for his mistake.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that Michael Dunn instigated this conflict and then attacked a car full of teenagers. While the teenagers were being rude with their load music that falls more towards a noise complaint then a life threatening situation. more over this was a public setting, and while Michael has a right to protest the teenagers had the same right to play their music. This is another bad case for the Stand your Ground act as it shows a bad example of how the act can lead to vigilantism. Much like the Treyvon Martin case a young teen lost his life because a coward with a gun assumed the worst and decided to take the law into his own hands. I can appreciate the stand your ground act as it gives power to the victims, however if abused, as I believe it was in this case, it can have devastating results.
ReplyDeleteI think the “Stand Your Ground Laws” are very confusing and risky for our government. Our police force is made to provide segment areas in each city-state with as much fair protection. If we encourage people that instead of building a better system they can take the means into their own hands, it is hard to prosecute a fair trial. Because, even if the victim feels that at a certain time they are potentially victimized, premeditatedly acting out a defense makes the predator prey. I think because stereotypes still exist it is not far to rule that a citizen’s pure judgment is necessary means to cause violence. It is not fair to the prosecutors who adjourn the case to critically analyze the persons of interest.
ReplyDeleteYes, just like the Travon Martin case, I believe that Michael Dunn should be convicted of 1st degree murder, just as I believe George Zimmerman should have been convicted. The fact that they got into an altercation rises the suspecting of Michael Dunn’s intent to harm any individual out in that group of men. He analyzed the likelihood of those boys using the weapon he claimed to have seen and decided to solve the anxiety that he needed to come off intimidating and fired the first shot that unfortunately killed the boy. There were numerous ways for him to have threatened the boys. He could have fired warning shots at trees in their pathway. He could have called an officer out to his business to investigate whether they actually had a weapon. However, he did not do those things. He targeted a stereotype and willfully decided to keep them off his prey, he was going to directly aim a dangerous threat directly at them due to his own paranoia. His intuition should have made better decisions.
Yes I think Michael Dunn should be convicted of 1st degree. I dont believe his statement about the teenagers is completely true. Yes I think they had there music loud but them having a gun on them to me is bs. I believe they did get in an argument he got angry so he started shooting. He probably lied about them having a gun cause one he saw the Zimmerman case and realize that he could lie cause the law could be on his side. Plus one white man word going up against a group of black tennagers. He probably automatically assume he would get off clean. I dont think that they need to get rid of the law but, it need some restructuring. I always wonder would it be different if it was the other way around. If a black man shot a bunch of white teenagers. Would he get off for 1st degree murder?
ReplyDeleteI think the 'Stand Your Ground Law' needs to be tweaked. You can't just go around shooting teenagers because you think they might have a weapon. Police officers needs to be one hundred percent sure, nobody shot at this police officer. Even if he did see a shotgun in the car, how is that an invitation to kill somebody? I'm not familiar with Florida's gun laws, but who's to say that that gun wasn't perfectly legal. He had absolutely no right to open fire on a car full of teenagers! He should be convicted of first degree murder because he's a murderer
ReplyDeletei feel like yes he should have been convicted and as far as that law that can shove it i feel like that law just gives the ok to go around a shoot black people and then allows that person to make up there own story to fit what the case to be honest you never know what is true or not. but i tell you one thing if the tables were switched that young black man would have been convicted and sent to the death sentence.
ReplyDeleteI strongly believe he should be convicted of 1st degree murder. There was no reason for him to shoot at him. I think the law has way to many twists and turns when it comes to these types of things. This kind of stuff happens all the time and I feel most of the time the murder gets off when they still murdered another person. This shooting could have easily been avoided, its 100% murder and he should face the 1st degree.
ReplyDeletei think we have the right to stand our ground its human nature we are taught now days to take it and forgive the person or let the law enforcement handle it, i just cant let someone do that for me if you are able bodied and feel you your property or family is in danger you should stand and fight after all wasnt america built by a bunch of murders and "outlaws"
ReplyDeleteHe should by far be accounted for 1st degree murder. The Stand Your Ground is the cause of so many teenage deaths that could have been easily avoided. I can understand if it is your house and someone intrudes, but to just point blank shoot someone because you "thought your life was in danger" is the dumbest thing I have ever heard....
ReplyDeleteI believe he should of been accounted for 1st degree murder. The stand you ground in my opinion is another way to let people get away with murder, but i do understand people have there rights but i think shooting someone because you so called yourself in danger is really ignorant and selfish, and just because you have a gun dont give the right to go and shoot people just because..
ReplyDeleteI think the stand your ground law can help in many different supporting cases where some people were judged wrongly. In this case he should of been judged for 1st degree murder.
ReplyDeleteI think the Stand Your Ground laws good to know. it seems so that people are using them in the wrong way there for ending in casualties for the oposing side. So I do believe that in seeing Zimmerman dun there for thought that he might get away with this considering that he was one in Florida too it was black kid and 3 saying that he thought his life was in danger due to the shotgun that he said he saw in the car
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Stand Your Ground law is a good law, but should probably have a more concentrated rule as to what can be considered standing your ground. Because the shotgun had not been removed from the car at all, I don't believe Dunn should have 'defended' himself as he did. Dunn May not necessarily deserve 1st degree murder charges, but he certainly needs to serve time.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this law is unfair and possibly dangerous. It allows individuals to possess more weapons which means more means of killing people in the public eye. Of course it also lets "victims" defend themselves, but I feel like it would be more reactive then proactive. Like the blog post said some people may THINK they are in danger and wind up making a fatal mistake that they cannot undo.
ReplyDeleteI think I understand the appeal of this law, why its becoming so popular. It makes people feel like they can do something about violent situations and this is a scary world we live in. I would like to know that I was protected by the law if I had to shoot someone in order to prevent them from doing horrible things to me.
ReplyDeleteBut at the same time you have people out there like Dunn who are just looking for a fight. How do you decide which one is which?
I guess that being case, I Like the concept of the law, but the execution of it should be much more thought out before they are able to use it effectively.
My other thought on this is how is this going to change in the future as guns are becoming more and more hard to aquire. As our country is moving closer and closer to a "no civilians with guns" policy? Just a thought...
I also do think He should have been charged with first degree murder, from the sound of it Dunn started the argument about the "thug music" and put himself into what he apparently thought was a dangerous situation. The Stand Your Ground Law is there for people who can't control whether they're in a dangerous situation and Dunn went looking for one.
ReplyDeleteI think that that was ridiculous for him to even approach the car because their music was bothering him, and for him to pull out a gun and the proceed to shoot that lead to a death of a 17 year boy he should be in prison for the rest of his life it wasn't self defense it wasn't standing his ground they made no attempt on harming his life all they did was play loud music "thug music" I should say it was probably RAP music but that's not the point. what if it was car full of females in the car playing the same type of music, only thing different was there gender that was crazy and he should be convicted of first degree murder, as it was .
ReplyDeleteLike most things in this country, I think the Stand Your Ground law began with well-meaning intentions, but has the potential to become something dangerous and it gets manipulated. Funny that it's called stand your ground, as in "Don't run from the situation, stand up for yourself, which could lead to violence."
ReplyDeleteI'm sure everyone has noticed that Zimmerman has been in the news so many times since he was acquitted, usually because of something related to a gun.
Dunn should be convicted. He shot multiple times at teenagers who were inside a vehicle. Like fish in a barrel.
The Stand Your Ground law is not with good intentions in mind. There is a reason we have a justice system in the country. True the system sometimes gets it wrong but the truth at least has a chance to prove who is guilty and whom is innocent. With this law they are allowing people to be Judge and Jury in the heat of the situation that if people just step away and calm down would no longer be a situation.
ReplyDeleteYes I feel like the dround law, will be good it can help defend those should have the right, he should have had the 1st degree murder
ReplyDeleteI think in order to give a good opinion on on the case it is necessary to take race gender and age out of the picture. When you remove those factors a person got in an argument with another person about music being to loud and then thought he saw a shotgun in the car and defended him self accordingly. No Murder charges for Dunn. I will say that the law is rather hazy about defining if you feel threatened. That being said I would hope I could defend my self with out the thoughts of being prosecuted for protecting my own life. Live Free Die Hard
ReplyDeleteStand Your Ground Law is just another law that gives citizens the right to take action based on their OWN ideals and morals. There needs to be a more clear law. You cannot take matters into your own hands and kill someone because you feel uncomfortable! This law is creating extreme problems in Florida. If this law in effect in every state, there would be mayhem. Its absolutely absurd. You give people an inch and they will take a mile. Look at the example of the Dunn case. This is astounding that he was allowed to take action because of a shot gun in a car. We have the police for a reason. Let's use them.
ReplyDelete