WelcomeTo My World

Thursday 29 November 2012

Jordan Russell Davis: Unarmed Black Teen Shot Dead


"Once again, the state of Florida will became the center of a media firestorm in the coming days thanks to another shooting of an unarmed black 17 year old by a white man who felt "threatened." On Friday night at a Jacksonville gas station, Michael Dunn, 45, gunned down Jordan Davis, 17. According to reports, Dunn, who is white, was waiting in his car while his wife was inside the station, asked — or told — a car occupied by youths parked next to his to turn the volume down of their stereo. Allegedly, an argument ensued, which ended up with Dunn, firing at least eight shots, Davis dying, according to authorities.

Dunn insists that he believed one of his interlocutors had a gun, and that he acted in self-defense. However, no firearms were found in the vehicle. His attorney, Robin Lemonidis, has been quick to dismiss comparisons to the shooting of 17 year old Travyon Martin by 28 year old George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida in February. Zimmerman has been charged with second degree murder, and his trial is scheduled to commence in June. The defense's strategy will likely rely heavily upon Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law, which allows an individual to use deadly force when one perceives a threat to one's personal safety."*

Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian discuss the shooting death of Jordan Russell Davis and the prospect of his killer Michael Dunn using a "Stand Your Ground" defense. What do his attorney's words and "Stand Your Ground" say about African American stereotypes? Will what happened in the Travyon Martin case happen again?

Watch Dunn's Attorney on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/28/us/florida-music-shooting/index.html

No comments:

Post a Comment