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Trayvon in Reverse: Black Man Kills Hispanic, Claims Stand-Your-Ground
USA Today tells the story of Daniel Adkins, a 29-year old Hispanic man in Arizona who was unarmed when he was shot by an African American driver who got into a shouting match with him. The family is waiting for justice and demands that the shooter be arrested.
By now, the scene is familiar: Two men get into an altercation — one black, one Hispanic. One is armed with a handgun and shoots the other dead.
The victim is unarmed; the shooter claims self-defense and walks free.
For more than a month, the victim’s family waits to see whether authorities will file charges against the shooter.
Except this tragedy did not play out in Sanford, Fla., where an unarmed black teen was shot and killed by a Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer. It occurred in aTaco Bell parking lot in Phoenix on April 3, when a black driver and an Hispanic pedestrian got into a shouting match and the driver shot the pedestrian dead.
As in the Trayvon Martin case in Florida, where police did not arrest George Zimmerman for 45 days, a stand-your-ground law is influencing law enforcement action in the Phoenix shooting. Since Trayvon’s death, these laws — and how they are applied by police and prosecutors — are under renewed scrutiny.
At least 21 states have adopted some variation of the controversial law that says a person does not have to retreat in the face of a threat and can use deadly force if they fear they are in danger of death or serious harm.
“I look at the Trayvon Martin case, and what happened to my son is almost the same thing,” says Daniel Adkins, 59, who mourns the death of his only son and namesake, Daniel Jr., 29. “I want justice. … Why haven’t they arrested him?”
Most stand-your-ground laws grant a person who uses deadly force the presumption that he acted reasonably unless there is evidence to the contrary.
If there are no witnesses and the victim is dead, or if the evidence is conflicting, the chances are greater that someone can “get away with murder,” Savannah Law School professor Elizabeth Megale.
DIABLO
May 28, 2012 at 3:34 pm
i wonder if hes gona get justice
Renee
May 28, 2012 at 6:09 pm
I find it interesting. This is a tragedy. Make no mistake about it. This family deserves justice for their decease son. However, I wonder why USA Today didn’t look at the HUNDREDS of very similar cases of white individuals who took the lives of unarm people and used Stand Your Ground as a defense to walk free. And FYI, George Zimmerman is half white and half Hispanic (although Peruvians don’t consider themselves to be Hispanic at all). This story, while tragic, is a sick and fuck’d up attempt to remove the racial element of the Trayvon Martin case. It’s like, “See blacks are complaining about racism with the Trayvon issue and this black man killed a hispanic man and is still freeeeeeeee.” I know the undertones and twisted attempt by so-called journalists to quiet those fighting for justice on behalf an unarm child.
Princess P.
May 28, 2012 at 11:42 pm
Any unarmed victim killed by an armed person should have the case investigated. Regardless, of race. An innocent person loses their life because of “stand your ground law”. Trayvon Martin case is the example of innocent ones losing their lives – cases like this has happened for years without the fanfare that Trayvon Martin’s case receives.
Rachel
May 29, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Thanks for stating the obvious.
J.D. Hill
May 30, 2012 at 3:52 am
Everyone gets justice sooner or later, at the hands of the law and/or otherwise. The Trayvon Martin killing appears to be markedly different, although the pain for the loss of a child is the same in both cases. I believe that a vigorous investigation should ensue with all “stand your ground” cases. I, also, believe that thses laws need to be re-written so that they do not protect those who initiated the peril in which they found themselves. Thus, the killer must have clean hands from beginning to end. After the Trayvon Martin tragedy, more and more Blacks are going to carry weapons and have a better chance at being the last man standing.
Leon Addison
June 2, 2012 at 3:18 am
Full scale investigation needs to be done no matter what ethnicity shot who!!!