Florida Dems Assail ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws Following Charges for AJ Owens Shooting

Florida Democrats have criticized Florida’s 5th circuit state attorney for only filing assault and manslaughter charges against Susan Lorincz for the death of Ajike Owens.

Lorincz has been charged with one count of manslaughter with a firearm and one count of assault. Both charges could potentially lead to Lorincz spending 30 years in prison.

The Florida Democrat Party issued a statement in response to the publication of the charges.

“Until we see reforms, innocent people will continue to die at the hands of those emboldened by the law”, commented the party.

Democrats and the victim’s party longed for murder charges, but according to the Democratic Party, “Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws make it nearly impossible to pursue (them).”

AJ Owens was shot through the front door by Susan Losincz after Owens sought to confront Losincz following a dispute between Losincz and one of Owens’ children. Susan Losincz alleges Owens attempted to knock the door down, and that she shot in self-defense.

The victim’s family and legal team have accused Losincz of being fueled by hatred and racism. They state Losincz hurled racist remarks at the children and shot Owens after Owens knocked on Losincz’s front door.

Owens’ attorneys claim Losincz deliberately shot Owens and should therefore be charged with murder. “This was not something were she was simply cleaning a gun and the gun fired and went through the wall or the door and accidentally hurt somebody, that’s not what happened here,” said Owens legal team.

Civil Rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton has taken to social media to condemn the absence of murder charges. Al Sharpton opined “It was an outrageous decision to not bring murder charges against a shooter who fired blindly through the door.”

 

The state attorney’s office have explained that investigations surrounding the shooting have not unearthed sufficient evidence to merit second degree murder charges. Namely, the attorney’s office claims the facts do not fulfill “depraved mind” requirements for second degree murder.

“As deplorable as the defendant’s actions were in this case, there is insufficient evidence to prove this specific and required element of second degree murder,” said the office’s statement.

Democrats are harnessing Owens’ death to incite attacks against Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws. In part, the laws state that an individual has the legal right to use deadly use of force if “he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.”