On January 10, a Florida judge threw out murder charges against a “legally-blind” former Marine, citing that state’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, 40-year-old John Wayne Rogers killed 34-year-old James T. DeWitt on March 27, 2012 by shooting him “in the chest” with a .308 rifle.
On March 26, Dewitt and his girlfriend went to Rogers’ house in Geneva, Florida for drinks and spent the night. The next morning, the group went to a convenience store, after which Rogers asked DeWitt to leave–but instead of leaving, he allegedly attacked Rogers. At that point Rogers allegedly “walked into the bedroom, retrieved his rifle, walked back into the living room, and pointed [the gun] in DeWitt’s general direction.”
Rogers said Dewitt charged him, at which time he fired, hitting DeWitt in the chest “from a distance of 18 inches or less.”
Rogers’ attorneys said their client was “defending himself from an attack in his home” when the shooting happened. “He felt like he had no choice but to shoot [DeWitt], and he did.”
Photo Source: Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins
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