A Hispanic man who was freed in a controversial Stand Your Ground ruling in the death of a car thief was shot and killed Tuesday.
Greyston Garcia, of Miami, was shot in the neck late Tuesday by a stray bullet as he drove his truck through the rough Liberty City section of Miami.
The Miami Herald reports that Garcia was caught in the middle of a gang shootout when he was killed.
An unidentified 16-year-old male was also shot and killed during the shootout.
In a controversial decision in March, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Beth Bloom ruled Garcia acted in self-defense when he chased Pedro Roteta several blocks and stabbed him to death.
Garcia was inside his Little Havana home when he spotted Roteta stealing his car radio in January.
Judge Bloom ruled that Garcia was in fear for his life because the thief swung a bag filled with heavy car radios at him. A medical examiner testified that “a 4-6 pound bag of metal being swung at one’s head would lead to serious bodily injury or death,” her order said.
The judge said that under the law, Garcia “was well within his rights to pursue the victim and demand the return of his property,” and “the defendant had no duty to retreat and could lawfully pursue a fleeing felon who has stolen his property.”
Rather than call 911, Garcia went home, hid the knife and went to sleep. He later sold 2 of the car radios he took off of Roteta.
Garcia was killed while driving in the same truck that Roteta had broken into.
Garcia’s case drew national attention when 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was gunned down by a neighborhood watchman who claimed self-defense.
Thanks to loyal reader Julia L. for the tip!
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