Three cases where Blacks ‘stood their ground’ and were still convicted

Here are three cases where Black people stood their ground and were handed the book.

If you think that the justice system is just, you are sadly mistaken.

The controversial Stand Your Ground Law

The recent cases of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis has sparked a national conversation on race and the controversial Stand Your Ground law.

Through many discussions, people have tried to stray away from race citing we should look at the facts and the law. In a recent interview, a juror on the Michael Dunn case said race played no factor in their decision.

Every time I heard a commentator try to ignore the obvious on the Trayvon Martin & Michael Dunn cases, it made me peeved.

This is why we still have so many problems in our society. Because we are afraid to have the conversation on race.

Society tries to sweep the issue of race under the rug. It makes the highly influenced believe we are living in a post-racial society.

Whether you agree or not, the issue of race does exist in the two cases of George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn.

Though both stated that race played no factor in their decision to commit self-defense, the apparent parallel in both trials suggests that we have major work to do in our justice system.

I could not help but to recognize both are of Caucasian descent, both happened in Florida, and both were found not guilty of murder.

It took the jury 16 hours to find George Zimmerman not guilty of the murder of Trayvon Martin.

It took the jury three days to find Michael Dunn guilty on three counts of attempted murder, but not guilty on the murder of Jordan Davis.

Interesting.

Though there are many cases of people who stood their ground, we wanted to bring three to your attention.

You may or may not know about these cases in which we believed blacks ‘stood their ground’, or claimed self defense but their cases have an interesting twist.

Three Black People Who Stood Their Ground But It Didn’t Work In Their Favor

1. Marissa Alexander

Marissa Alexander

Marissa Alexander, a Black woman from Jacksonville, Florida, committed an act that led to her conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

She cited that she was acting in self-defense after her abusive husband tried to attack her which prompted her to fire a warning shot into the wall.

It took a jury no more than 12 minutes to convict her. The court sentenced Alexander to a mandatory 20 years in prison. After she won her appeal, the court overturned her sentence, and she began fighting for justice again.

This time, she will be fighting against a 60 year sentence Florida state prosecutor Angela Corey and her team are asking for.

Marissa Alexander’s Case Inspires Changes To Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law

2. Brandon C. Jackson

The Stand Your Ground law doesn’t apply in the state of New Jersey, but self-defense wasn’t good enough for Brandon C. Jackson was who defending himself against an alleged hate crime attack.</p>

In Jackson, a town often described as one of the most racist in New Jersey, a New Jersey man found himself cornered by a group of white boys.

The responding officer classified the case as racially/motivated but that wasn’t good enough for prosecutors and the judge.

Jackson was subsequent ally sentenced and is serving 12 years in prison.

The Strange Case of Brandon C Jackson

3. Michael Giles

Michael Giles is another Florida resident who stood his ground and was convicted.

26-year-old Michael Giles was on active duty with the Unites States Air Force and stationed in Tampa.

The married father of three had recently finished two tours in the Middle East and was looking forward to a career in the military, says his family.

One night in February, a friend invited Giles to party at a Tallahassee nightclub.

Shorty after arriving, a fight broke out among members of fraternities from nearby Florida A&M University.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for standing his ground.

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