Michael Dunn found guilty of 1st-degree murder in loud-music trial

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Excellent - this gun aficionado will spend the rest of his sorry life behind bars. That's where he belongs.

Michael Dunn found guilty of 1st-degree murder in loud-music trial

Jacksonville, Florida (CNN) -- Jurors found Michael Dunn guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday in the 2012 shooting death 17-year-old Jordan Davis.

Dunn's parents were in the courtroom for the verdict. Davis' parents, Ron Davis and Lucia MacBath, both let out a quiet gasp upon hearing the jury forewoman's words and then hung their heads and cried. Dunn did not appear to have an immediate reaction, but later, he turned around and somberly shook his head toward his father.

Duval County Judge Russell Healey set a tentative sentencing hearing for October 17 but said he would wait until Tuesday to ensure the date worked for Dunn's defense attorneys.

"This has been going on for two years, and everyone has acted graciously. I ask that you continue to do that," Healey said before the verdict was read. "Remember, we must respect the verdict of the jury. They did not volunteer to do this."

Dunn, 47, was charged with murder after shooting into an SUV full of teenagers at a Jacksonville, Florida, gas station following a squabble over the music emanating from the teens' vehicle.

Dunn has said he shot at the vehicle because he thought Davis had a weapon and feared for his life, but the prosecution has alleged Dunn was the aggressor and pointed out he kept firing even after the teens fled.

Three of the 10 shots that Dunn fired struck Davis, one of them cutting through his liver, a lung and his aorta.

Investigators say Davis never had a weapon, nor was one found in the teens' SUV or the surrounding area.

A jury found Dunn guilty of four charges in February, commanding at least 60 years in prison, but the jury was hung on the murder charge related to Davis' November 2012 death.

Jurors began deliberating on the new charges just before 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, after Healey dismissed two of the three alternates and provided instructions for the charges jurors were to consider.

The first charge to consider, Healey said, was first-degree murder, which would require that Dunn premeditated killing Davis.

If the jury didn't feel the state proved first-degree murder, it was instructed to move on to second-degree, which would mean Dunn killed Davis via a criminal or depraved act.

The third charge was manslaughter, which would require a finding that Dunn unlawfully caused Davis' death.

Killing Davis was lawful, Healey told the jury, if Dunn acted in the heat of passion or if he unintentionally caused Davis' death. The jury could also find Dunn not guilty if he was in danger, acted in self-defense and exacted a justifiable use of force, the judge instructed.

Dunn was convicted in February on one count of shooting into a vehicle and three counts of attempted second-degree murder -- one each for Davis' friends, Leland Brunson, Tommie Stornes and Tevin Thompson, who were in the Dodge Durango with Davis that day.

The Satellite Beach, Florida, man hasn't been sentenced on those charges, but prosecutor Eric Wolfson said at the time of the conviction that each attempted second-degree murder charge carries a minimum sentence of at least 20 years. There's also a 15-year sentence possible on the conviction for shooting at the teenager's vehicle, Wolfson said.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I'm glad. His parents deserve some closure.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Just another sad consequence of some moron abusing the second amendment.

If only he had stayed home and watched porn instead.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I'm glad. His parents deserve some closure.

I thought he got off Scott free. We have been telling you for Months it was not over.

I guess you can't kill a black kid for no reason and walk Scott free in America after all.

[Darnell 8,479]

Come on Nature Boy - you still in the PI ? Stir up the next Jacobite Rebellion there, and lets talk a bit more about 'Scot-Free' ...

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I thought he got off Scott free. We have been telling you for Months it was not over.

I guess you can't kill a black kid for no reason and walk Scott free in America after all.

Because it's common you have to go to court twice in order in convince a jury that firing 10 shots into a fleeing vehicle and killing someone isn't "self defense".

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Because it's common you have to go to court twice in order in convince a jury that firing 10 shots into a fleeing vehicle and killing someone isn't "self defense".

How about that. Nobody burned anything down, Obama did not get involved. We got the facts, presented them and the justice system worked.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

How about that. Nobody burned anything down, Obama did not get involved. We got the facts, presented them and the justice system worked.

Maybe because he wasn't allowed to walk free after killing him and claiming he was defending himself. Maybe because they actually locked him up until his trial date for murder. When you follow the rules from the BEGINNING, things work out better.

Still says something that it took 2 trials to determine a murder case when the victim was unarmed, the perp fled the scene, and didn't bother to even call the police after he realized he killed someone.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Su and Marvin

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's refreshing to see a jury not falling for this stand your ground bullsh!te. This verdict very likely will save lives as it puts gun aficionados in the gunshine state on notice.

[Ban Hammer 13,676]

not surprised by the verdict and i see it as justice served.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

not surprised by the verdict and i see it as justice served.

Me too, but it's sad that it took 2 trials to see this. It was obvious from the get go how this should have gone down...