GUILTY FL - Markeis McGlockton, killed following parking dispute, Clearwater, 19 July 2018

[YESorNO]

McGlockton’s Family ‘Can Finally Rest Now’ After Drejka Verdict

August 24, 2019

"The family of the man fatally shot in a Clearwater parking lot expressed a sense of thanks and justice Friday night after his shooter was convicted on a manslaughter charge.

The family of Markeis McGlockton, 28, wept in the courtroom as the verdict was read, and hugged and shook hands with the prosecutors as Michael Drejka, 49, was led out in handcuffs and the court was adjourned.

“It’s been well over a year since we’ve been dealing with this matter and I can safely say my family can rest now,” McGlockton's father, Michael McGlockton, told reporters outside the courthouse a short time after the verdict was read. “Now we can start putting the pieces back together and move on."..."

McGlockton’s Family ‘Can Finally Rest Now’ After Drejka Verdict

 

[SeesSeas]

DEATH THREAT TO DREJKA
Now that the McGlockton family "can finally rest", hopefully there won't be any more death threats to Drejka as was reported in June 2019.

https://hpc.pinellasclerk.org/CaseData/18-09851-CF/47047062.pdf


Attorney for Michael Drejka Requests Appointment of Special Prosecutor
Trevena also argued in the motion that a special prosecutor was needed because Markeis McGlockton’s father, Michael, allegedly made a death threat toward Drejka outside of court on June 7 in front of an assistant state attorney, allegedly telling Drejka that “his face would be the last face he sees.”

After alleged threat, Drejka requests bulletproof vest for court appearances
Sources say Michael McGlockton called Drejeka a "coward" and accused him of shooting "an innocent man."
The witness recalled McGlockton saying, "My face will be the last face you see."

Parking lot shooter Michael Drejka asks judge to disqualify prosecutors who charged him
The motion also surfaces an encounter between Drejka and McGlockton's father, Michael McGlockton, before a hearing June 7. According to a Sheriff's Office report, Michael McGlockton told Drejka, "I'm going to be the last face you ever see." The case was closed as non-criminal. Trevena argued that McGlockton should have been arrested and that the incident adds to the conflict-of-interest between McGlockton's family and the state.

Exchanging angry words with someone isn't a crime, prosecutor Rosenwasser said, and Trevena is grandstanding.

 

[SeesSeas]

One guilty verdict does not vindicate stand your ground law | Editorial | Tampa Bay Times
The jury’s decision to find Michael Drejka guilty of manslaughter offers hope for color-blind justice. It does not make a bad law any better.
By Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board
August 29, 2019
There is reason to be reassured by the guilty verdict in the Clearwater convenience store parking lot shooting that senselessly took the life of Markeis McGlockton. A jury with no black members found the white shooter guilty of manslaughter for killing the black father in an avoidable confrontation over a handicap-reserved parking spot. Yet it would be a mistake to view the jury’s responsible, color-blind conclusion as vindication for Florida’s irresponsible stand your ground law.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

We talked to jurors who found Michael Drejka guilty of manslaughter | Tampa Bay Times
August 29, 2019
Surveillance video in the shooting death of Markeis McGlockton last summer fueled community outrage and national headlines.

The footage was cited in an arrest warrant charging McGlockton’s shooter, Michael Drejka, with manslaughter.

Now, it appears the video also played a major role in how the jurors and three alternates in Drejka’s manslaughter trial weighed the case against him.

Jurors who have spoken publicly since Drejka’s conviction Friday said they arrived at a guilty verdict after watching, again and again, the grainy black and white figures move across the screen.

“That looped video we watched at least two or three hundred times," juror James Ryan told the Tampa Bay Times this week.

Ryan was referring to a version of the video that automatically restarted once it ended.

It showed an 11 second span of time — McGlockton, 28, walking out of the Circle A Food Store, shoving Drejka to the ground in the parking lot, and Drejka pulling his .40-caliber Glock handgun and shooting McGlockton.

The jury didn’t end up reviewing a slow-motion version of the video, Ryan said, convinced by an expert witness for the defense that it wouldn’t present a fair portrayal of what Drejka perceived in real time.
[...]
Within the first 45 minutes to an hour of deliberations, he said, the jurors took a first vote.

The room was split, but Ryan declined to say who voted which way or how many, speaking only about himself. He voted guilty, he said, but as he combed back through his 25 pages of notes from the three-day trial, he kept an open mind.

He said he sympathized with Drejka’s fear that he would be attacked again after the shove and understood why Drejka pulled out his gun.

But "did I feel it was necessary for him to pull the trigger? Absolutely not.”
[...]

 

[Jewels53]

We talked to jurors who found Michael Drejka guilty of manslaughter | Tampa Bay Times
August 29, 2019
Surveillance video in the shooting death of Markeis McGlockton last summer fueled community outrage and national headlines.

The footage was cited in an arrest warrant charging McGlockton’s shooter, Michael Drejka, with manslaughter.

Now, it appears the video also played a major role in how the jurors and three alternates in Drejka’s manslaughter trial weighed the case against him.

Jurors who have spoken publicly since Drejka’s conviction Friday said they arrived at a guilty verdict after watching, again and again, the grainy black and white figures move across the screen.

“That looped video we watched at least two or three hundred times," juror James Ryan told the Tampa Bay Times this week.

Ryan was referring to a version of the video that automatically restarted once it ended.

It showed an 11 second span of time — McGlockton, 28, walking out of the Circle A Food Store, shoving Drejka to the ground in the parking lot, and Drejka pulling his .40-caliber Glock handgun and shooting McGlockton.

The jury didn’t end up reviewing a slow-motion version of the video, Ryan said, convinced by an expert witness for the defense that it wouldn’t present a fair portrayal of what Drejka perceived in real time.
[...]
Within the first 45 minutes to an hour of deliberations, he said, the jurors took a first vote.

The room was split, but Ryan declined to say who voted which way or how many, speaking only about himself. He voted guilty, he said, but as he combed back through his 25 pages of notes from the three-day trial, he kept an open mind.

He said he sympathized with Drejka’s fear that he would be attacked again after the shove and understood why Drejka pulled out his gun.

But "did I feel it was necessary for him to pull the trigger? Absolutely not.”
[...]

It looks like they evaluated the facts of the case to come to their verdict. The jurors took their duty to deliberate seriously. I hope that helps for no appeal in the case. jmo

 

[SeesSeas]

After Michael Drejka’s conviction, parents of victim speak out: ‘We’re not done’
August 31, 2019
In the courtroom, Michael McGlockton hung his head and prayed.

He asked for a conviction, for justice. Then he spoke to his son, Markeis McGlockton.
[...]
On that day in the courtroom, Michael McGlockton told his son he loved him. Then the jury entered and the clerk began to read aloud:

“The defendant is guilty of manslaughter as charged...”

In the grueling year since Markeis McGlockton, 28, was shot and killed in a convenience store parking lot, life for his father and mother, Monica Moore-Robinson, has been geared toward this moment. With the guilty verdict secured, they’re turning their focus to what’s next: maybe a foundation to further their son’s passions, maybe advocacy for victims of gun violence, maybe a wrongful death lawsuit against Drejka.

But the first stop is an Oct. 10 sentencing hearing in which a judge will decide how long Drejka will go to prison. His charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years.

“He killed my son. So for me, an eye for an eye. A life for a life,” said Michael McGlockton, 47. “But in this case, life is not on the table, so ... I think he should get the max.”
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

CLEARWATER - Unrelated, but some similarities:
Suspect shoots, kills man after argument over parking spot in Clearwater, police say
Updated: Sep 1, 2019 / 03:01 PM EDT
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — A man was shot and killed after an argument with another man over a parking spot in Clearwater Saturday night, the police department said.

Police said a verbal dispute took place between Derek Omasta, 32, and Deshon Powers, 26, at 1133 Grove St. around 11 p.m.

Police said the dispute over a parking spot escalated when Powers retrieved a gun from inside a house and shot Omasta.
[...]

Man shot and killed over parking spot, Clearwater police say
Updated: 10:02 AM EDT September 1, 2019
[...]
Omasta died not long after being taken to Morton Plant Hospital.

Powers is facing a first-degree murder charge. He was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.

 

[SeesSeas]

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/default.aspx
STATE OF FLORIDA vs. DREJKA, MICHAEL
Case No. 18-09851-CF
09/02/2019 MOTION Doc # 208
FOR NEW TRIAL

 

[SeesSeas]

Michael Drejka’s lawyers ask for a new trial
September 6, 2019
Lawyers for Michael Drejka, convicted of manslaughter last month for shooting Markeis McGlockton in a 2018 parking lot dispute, have asked for a new trial.

The motion relitigates many key points in the case, including the circumstances surrounding McGlockton’s shove of Drejka, which preceded Drejka training his gun on McGlockton.
[...]
The motion additionally attacks prosecutor Fred Schaub’s closing arguments. The lawyers wrote that Schaub “mimicked the defense witnesses” and “personally attacked defense counsel.”

Collectively, Drejka’s team wrote, the mishaps contributed to the jury finding Drejka guilty on Aug. 23, and that he deserves another chance.

He has not been sentenced but faces up to 30 years in prison. The 49-year-old remains in the Pinellas County Jail.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

https://ccmspa.pinellascounty.org/PublicAccess/default.aspx
STATE OF FLORIDA vs. DREJKA, MICHAEL
Case No. 18-09851-CF
09/24/2019 ORDER DENYING Doc # 212
DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL

 

[SeesSeas]

For black lawyer in Michael Drejka case, career and identity clash
September 26, 2019
Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy was itching for a trial.

The Tampa lawyer was coming off a chaotic couple years. In January 2017, she gave birth to a son nearly two months early, then, 11 months later, doctors diagnosed her with breast cancer.

Finally, she was returning to work — just as the case of Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka was unspooling. Jean-Pierre Coy saw a chance to get back in the courtroom and help smooth out a case bogged down by controversy. She volunteered to help.

It seemed a simple enough request, except that Jean-Pierre Coy is black and her new client was a white man accused of shooting an unarmed black man, Markeis McGlockton.
[...]
When she joined the Drejka case, Jean-Pierre Coy, who had worked five years as a public defender and entered private practice in 2010, understood the optics.

She knew it might appear she was brought on to quell any suspicion Drejka was racist. But as two of Drejka’s lawyers became mired in personal scandal, she wanted to help give him a clean trial. She joined the case pro bono.

“I just personally feel … that you represent people not for who they are or what they've done, but you represent them to make sure that the government is doing their job,” she said. “It’s really a big picture thing.”

No evidence of racial motivation emerged after the July 2018 shooting, but race took center stage after Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri declined the next day to arrest Drejka because of Florida’s stand your ground law.
[...]

 

[SeesSeas]

Michael Drejka awaits sentencing in 2018 shooting death of Markeis McGlockton
Posted Oct 10 2019 06:04AM EDT
LARGO, Fla. (FOX 13) - Michael Drejka will soon learn his fate after he was found guilty of fatally shooting a man over a handicap parking spot.

At 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, sentencing will begin for Drejka as he faces the family of his victim, Markeis McGlockton. At play during the hearing is the possibility of a 30-year prison sentence after a jury found Drejka guilty of manslaughter in late August.

At the sentencing, McGlockton's girlfriend, along with his father and other family members will take the stand to speak about how their lives have been impacted after McGlockton's death.
[...]

Michael Drejka, facing 30 years in prison, set to be sentenced
October 10, 2019
LARGO — Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka is set to be sentenced today. He faces up to 30 years in prison.

The 10:30 a.m. sentencing hearing comes about six weeks after jurors convicted Drejka, 49, of manslaughter in the shooting death of Markeis McGlockton, a 28-year-old father of four. McGlockton’s family will, for the first time, have the opportunity to address Drejka directly about how his crime impacted their lives.
[...]
Drejka’s lawyers last month appealed the conviction, asking the court for a new trial. Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone denied that request Sept. 24, court records show. Drejka can still appeal to higher courts.
[...]

 

[Jewels53]

Watch Live: Michael Drejka Sentencing Hearing in Shooting Death of Markeis McGlockton

 

[Gardenista]

Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka sentenced to 20 years in prison

 

[SeesSeas]

Michael Drejka sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Markeis McGlockton over parking spot
Updated: 12:38 PM EDT October 10, 2019
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Michael Drejka, 49, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Markeis McGlockton during an argument over a handicapped parking spot.

A judge handed down the sentence Thursday morning, almost two months after Drejka was found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of McGlockton.
[...]

'Stand your ground' killer sentenced to 20 years in slaying over parking space
Oct 10, 2019, 11:55 AM ET
[...]
McGlockton's father, Michael McGlockton Sr., told Drejka that he killed his only biological son and that "because of you, our lives will never be the same."

"You deserve to die in prison," he said. "In the Bible, it says that in order to get into heaven we must forgive those who trespass against us. At this point in my life, I am not there yet. And if it just so happens that the Lord chooses to take me before I come to terms with this, then I will see you in hell, where you and I will finish this. Mark my words."
[...]

Michael Drejka sentenced to 20 years in parking lot shooting
October 10, 2019
LARGO — Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of Markeis McGlockton.

The hefty sentence came during an emotional hearing Thursday morning before Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone, who heard impassioned pleas from McGlockton’s parents and girlfriend for the maximum sentence of 30 years.
[...]
There were no Drejka supporters in the courtroom, but one of his defense attorneys submitted two letters requesting more leniency, including one from his wife read aloud in court.

The defense team emphasized that Drejka has supporters outside the courtroom, but they didn’t show up to court proceedings due to concerns for their safety.
[...]

Michael Drejka is seen in a Clearwater courtroom after being sentenced to 20 years in manslaughter case Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. [JOHN PENDYGRAFT | Times]

 

[Jewels53]

https://www.courttv.com/news/fl-v-michael-drejka-fatal-parking-lot-dispute/

A video of the judge handing down the sentence.

 

[alexwood]

Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka sentenced to 20 years in prison

In asking the Court for leniency in sentencing him: "[D]rejka's wife also broke her silence Thursday during the sentencing hearing [...] He is not the person the prosecution and media have made him out to be. Michael is a kind, loving, supportive and hardworking man. My husband is not a violent person."

How is it that a non-violent person can kill someone over a parking space?

 

[YESorNO]

(Markeis McGlockton)

 

[SeesSeas]

Michael Drejka attacked in prison, placed in protective custody, lawyers say
February 12, 2020
Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka was attacked in prison and placed in protective custody, two of his lawyers said Wednesday.

Drejka sustained a head injury and received five stitches, said defense attorney John Trevena, citing information from Drejka’s wife. The attack was carried out by other inmates, said another of his attorneys, Bryant Camareno, who also attributed the information to Drejka’s wife.
[...]

Attorneys: Michael Drejka ‘attacked’ in prison, transferred to protective custody
Feb 12, 2020 / 01:41 PM EST
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) –
[...]
Drejka is being held at Lancaster Correctional Institution in Trenton, approximately 35 miles west of Gainesville.

His attorneys say he was attacked from behind on Tuesday afternoon. Drejka told his wife he was hit in the head with a lock inside a sock, according to attorneys. His wife told attorneys he needed five stitches and is now living in fear.
[...]
“Per standard protocol, Inmate Drejka was examined by medical staff and the incident is being investigated,” the press secretary said in a statement. “At this time, Drejka is in administrative confinement separate from the general population, pending protective management review.”

According to attorneys, the alleged attacker said they knew Drejka was the man involved in the deadly shooting over a parking spot in Clearwater that made national headlines.
[...]

 

[Jewels53]

I wonder if Drejka was provoking the fight after it started, as per his usual self. jmo moo