The murder trial of the Brevard County man accused of killing a teenager over loud music continues in Jacksonville on Monday. [36], Following the trial, Dunn's attorney filed for appeal with the First District Court of Appeal for the State of Florida. H.S., Torrington, CT and Vero Beach Senior High, graduating in the class of 1983. Theyd had a few drinks while at the wedding. Ronda Rousey is currently recuperating after breaking her hand in the match at WrestleMania 35. [50] ABC News, Australia says the case has become part of the national conversation about the dangers facing young black men in America today. Mr. Davis and two of the teenagers had no criminal record. 3 Minutes, 10 Bullets. After a shaken Ms. Rouer got back inside the car, Mr. Dunn pulled out of the gas station and drove to the hotel where the two spent the night as planned. But no weapon was found at the scene and Rouer said the Durango had already fled when she looked outside. Simons testified that the cause of Davis' death was multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of his death was a homicide. The film chronicles what CNN dubbed the loud music trial.On November 23,2012,Michael Dunn, a 45-year-old white software engineer, during a dispute about loud rap music coming from a red Jeep Durango in a Jacksonville parking lot, fired a revolver repeatedly into a car with four African-American teens, killing 17-year-old Jordan Davis. Police presence at Arlington Manor area complex after reported shooting, Police: One person detained in College Park area, Local Weather: Day 9 of 80-plus degree afternoons; much-needed rain by late Friday into Saturday, Viewing Venus under a telescope in our night sky. Filmmaker Silver (Who Is Dayani Cristal?) Former WWE RAW Women's champion and UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey, has not been on WWE television since her loss at WrestleMania 35 to Becky Lynch, who went home with both the RAW. Example video title will go here for this video, Help Wanted: Jacksonville Jaguars position groups Breakdown. Dunn's insurance company, Progressive Select Insurance, challenged its duty to cover the lawsuit, but dismissed its lawsuit in conjunction with the settlement. The trial is expected to be turned over to the jury on Wednesday after closing statements. Meanwhile, the trial of Michael Dunn resumes 9 a.m. Monday. In the morning, Rouer saw a news report about a shooting at a Jacksonville gas station, in which a 17-year-old had been killed, and rather than call police, the couple packed their bags and drove. WWE News: Ronda Rousey reveals why UFC match was bigger than WrestleMania. The film is currently available from theImpact Seriesstreaming service and on Hollywood Suite on April 26. The Law Offices of John Phillips are based in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, Florida, but John is licensed in Florida, Georgia and Alabama and before the U.S. Supreme Court. Investigators later searched the teenagers' SUV and found no weapons. The next morning Rouer saw a report about the shooting on the news indicating that Jordan Davis had died. [17][18], After his arrest, Dunn claimed that Davis threatened him with a "gun or a stick". He said he responded to the crime scene.After Rouer's testimony, Sukhan Warf, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime lab analyst and DNA expert followed. First Coast News has successfully fought for your access to these documents and we'll bring you more exclusive content on Thursday night at 8 p.m. during our special, Michael Dunn, fatal encounter. Dunn sounds incredulous that he has been imprisoned, andblames Davis 100 percent for what happened. [43][44], Rebecca Dunn, Dunn's daughter, defended her father's story, by her statement during an interview, "He is going to protect himself if he sees no other way than to bring out his gun, then that's what he's going to do. Please logout and login again. While at the cashier's counter, Rouer heard the sound of gunshots. During her cross-examination of these witnesses, State Attorney Angela Corey suggested that these witnesses did not know Dunn in a capacity outside of his parents' community.The last witness to take the stand for the defense on Monday was Phyllis Austin, the ex-wife of Michael Dunn and the mother of Christopher Dunn. Rouer testified she wanted to go home and they left. Meacham testified that$1.25 in currency, a bracelet, earrings, a cellphone, a knife and a watchwere items removed from Davis' clothing.Next on the stand Monday was Dr. Stacey Simons, who worked in the Medical Examiner's Office at the time of Davis' death. Dunn and his fiancee, Rhonda Rouer, then drove to their motel, ordered a pizza and stayed the night without contacting police. Gabel cautioned Healey that "the mistake" being made Saturday was "the same one made in the first trial.". Rhema Thompson began her post at WJCT on a very cold day in January 2014 and left WJCT to join the team at The Florida Times Union in December 2014. That means we watch, along with Davis parents,the testimony of Dunn and his nervous fianc, Rhonda Rouer (a key figure in contradicting Dunns testimony about claiming to see Davis wielding a weapon). Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. The next morning Rouer found out that Davis was dead after turning on the television news and insisted they return to their home in Satellite Beach. He tells his grandmother the appellate court made a chicken shit decision, calls the judge not very bright, and says he is either a victim of reverse discrimination or a political prisoner. He thinks the blacks seem to be calling the shots and the whites who live in Jacksonville know how the blacks behave here. The jury could not reach an agreement on the charge of first-degree murder, and the judge declared a mistrial on that count. 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Mr. Dunn, 47, is charged in the first-degree murder of Mr. Davis and three counts of attempted murder, one for each of the other teenagers who were in the red sport utility vehicle that Mr. Dunn shot at. It would be the last good memory Rouer and Michael Dunn would have toge The couple drove back to their hotel, ordered a pizza and Dunn made them some alcoholic drinks. [51] The murder is believed to have inspired activism of the Black Lives Matter movement. Circuit Judge Russell Healey and attorneys on both sides spent more than an hour discussing and questioning the juror, mentioned in a Folio Weekly column published Friday. The. You can contact us at help@floridajustice.com. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. In addition to personal injury and wrongful death, our firm handles family law matters and select criminal defense cases. It's possible Dunn could take the stand in his own defense. "I hate that thug music," Dunn told Rouer, according to her testimony. Siniscal told defense attorneys Dunn showed no resistance or violence at the time of his arrest. He talks about a civil suit against the State and others, although he was finally talked out of suing Jordans family. [47] McBath cited the activism of students after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting as a reason for her run. The jury could not reach a verdict about whether to convict Dunn for the murder of Davis at the first trial. The deputy said he armed himself with an AR-15 rifle and his sidearm to make the arrest, saying it part of the department's tactics when there is a "high-risk" arrest warrant involved. Before jurors were brought back into the courtroom after the lunch break, the defense presented diagrams showing the Durango parked next to Dunn's vehicle, a Volkswagen Jetta. Rouer testified Saturday that she and Dunn, who reside in Satellite Beach, Fla., were in Jacksonville that day to attend the wedding of Dunns son in Orange Park. A fourth teenager, the driver, has a third-degree felony conviction. As his head clears the window frame, he says, This is going down, Mr. Dunn said, quoting Mr. Davis and using an expletive in the quote. [21] Contrary to Dunn's claim that he mentioned a weapon to Rouer, she testified that he never mentioned a gun either that night or the next day. Healey said he was concerned about protecting the identity of the juror. [52][53] During the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Davis' mother, Lucy McBath, talked about supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and said, "His death doesn't overshadow his life."[54]. The cases were settled for an undisclosed amount in January 2014. "[45][46] She described Dunn as "a good man. Once parked, Rouer said Dunn told her I hate that thug music. Rouer went into the store to purchase the items and shortly after the gunshots rang out. During the previous trial, the Times-Union was among several media agencies to challenge Healey for the release of public records including several jailhouse calls made by Dunn. Miranda talked about shell casings found at the crime scene. The judge, already angered over the courtroom camera showing a potential juror, asked for the equipment to be turned off as the jury walked into the courtroom. Saying, "I then realized that we hadn't really discussed what happened, as we were more concerned with whether or not anyone was hurt. This, according to Rhonda Rouer's testimony, is what her fiance, Michael Dunn, said when they pulled into a Jacksonville gas station next to an SUV full of black kids who had the stereo up high . A hapless witness, she herself dodged. Read Dunns Jail Letters Here (you are here), Watch Full Michael Dunn Pre-Arrest Interview by Detectives, Watch what Michael Dunns neighbor had to say about him (very negative), Evidence Locker: State of Florida & Jordan Davis versus Michael Dunn, Review over 400 photos of the physical evidence for yourself (may download slow), Watch portions of Trial and read more about the case, Jordan Davis: Download Jet and Rolling Stone Magazine Articles, Michael Dunn on Myspace: Learn More About Jordan Daviss Killer. He is still referring to his demands to his lawyer Cory Strolla and Cory apparently was determined to withdraw if Dunn continued to force him into a premature trial date and again refers to Davis history with authority figures, as if he was one. She also said Dunn mixed both of them another rum and soda adding his fifth from his earlier at his sons wedding in the hotel room. Rouer may return again. [8] Rouer left their car to purchase white wine and chips. But Mr. Dunn struggled to preserve his credibility on Tuesday after his distraught fiance took the stand and, her eyes welling with tears, contradicted some major points of his testimony. He said he did not call the police right away because Ms. Rouer wanted to go home instead. "Poor sweetie." Rhonda smirked before leaning over and kissing Arnold on the lips. They drove back, and Dunn was arrested later that day. Around 7:30p.m., four teenage boys (Leland Brunson, Jordan Davis, Tommie Stornes, and Tevin Thompson) stopped at a Gate Petroleum gas station. They also said the police had failed to thoroughly search the surrounding area, including trash bins close to the parking lot. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The state called two more witnesses in the Michael Dunn retrialand rested its case Monday afternoon. Davis, who was sitting in the right rear passenger seat, then told his friend to turn the music back up and cursed at Dunn. Healey eventually agreed to have the transcripts emailed to Gabel for review. The man sitting in the front passenger seat complied. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. He makes an off color sex change joke and then talks about Charlie (his dog). "I think maybe he understands this will be coming into trial one day and he wants a jury who sees it to be thinking he's a good person, he's reading the bible in there," said Kuritz. If her boyfriend is convicted he could face life in jail. The shooting, which unfolded in this northern Florida city, has drawn attention once again to the states expansive self-defense laws that allow people who say they feel threatened to use lethal force to protect themselves. Prosecutors received permission from the court to let the jury handle Dunn's gun. Homicide detective M.A. (CLICK ANY LINK TO DOWNLOAD PDF OF EACH LETTER): Dunn reference a few criminal defense lawyers he spoke with and how one mentioned to him that he never mentioned a gun to Rhonda. In the duel between the attorneys, viewers can find a second villain in the defense teams Cory Strolla, who, while fulfillling his legal responsibility to vigorously defend his client, denies racial elements of the case while insistingthat Dunn feared for his life and implies, without evidence, that the teens were violent instigators who threw awaya weapon. Rhonda Rouer took the stand and started trembling and sobbing as she began to get into what happened on the night of the shooting. We spend time getting to know Jordans friends, troubled by their loss and their own near-death experience. Rousey also revealed that she and her husband are planning to have a baby and that she does not know what the future holds for her. Related Story: Transcript of hearing to excuse juror #4 released. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The police arrested him shortly after he arrived in Brevard, a two-and-a-half-hour drive away. While Rouer was inside the store, Dunn asked the people in the Durango to turn down the music. Kuritz says if Rouer's testimony changes on the stand and more closely sounds like what she's been told in letters from Dunn, that could present a problem for the defense. Now I'm back to reading the Bible and playing solitaire.". Dunn stated that he received "ineffective assistance of counsel". Rouer, Dunn's former girlfriend, was the fifth witness to take the stand in the third day of testimony of the murder retrial. Daviss parents, Ron Davis and Lucia McBath, were also visibly emotional in the audience. Defense lawyers have argued that Davis may have had a gun that night, and his three friends disposed of it after the shooting when they briefly fled from the Gate into the nearby parking lot. 2023 Phillips & Hunt. As the Durango backed up quickly to elude the gunfire, Mr. Dunn stepped out of his own car, dropped to one knee and fired more volleys to thwart any blind fire, or wild, random shooting out the car window, he said. Dunn has claimed Davis threatened him with a gun, and he fired to defend himself. China's Xi heralds 'unbreakable' friendship with Belarus, an ally of Russia, Nissan recalls over 800K SUVs because a key defect can cut off the engine, Chicago voters resoundingly rejected Mayor Lori Lightfoot's reelection bid, China is buying more U.S. farmland, and some say that's a national security threat, Chinese officials monitor House panel hearing on U.S. economic competition with China, Sequential hurricanes are becoming more common because of climate changes. Fourth Judicial Circuit Judge Russell Healey ultimately did not allow the diagrams to be used, but said he would allow the testimony from the expert witness.Just after 2 p.m., forensic consultant Michael Knox took the stand as the first witness for the defense. Austin testified to Dunn's behavior at his son Christopher's wedding, saying he was in control of his actions. July 3, 2013 - Letter to Cousin [11][13], Shortly after Davis's death, his parents, Ron Davis and Lucy McBath, and some of the other vehicle occupants, filed civil complaints against Dunn. During Simons' testimony, several photos Davis' body were shown to the jury. Dunn recounts a new version of the facts where he now as added a threat, this shit is going down now to be circulated to his family and asks his brother to include that. He lays it on pretty thick and sings George Michaels Faith over and over. Dunn's girlfriend Rhonda Rouer was with Dunn the night he allegedly shot 17-year-old Jordan Davis, at a Jacksonville gas station after an argument over loud music. Rousey herself does not know if she will return to the WWE. [41] Hendrix spoke of a previous discussion where Dunn asked him if he knew anyone who would "take care of" someone who infuriated him in an unrelated incident, and Hendrix interpreted further discussion as Dunn wanting to send a hit on this person. Dunn and Rouer left the wedding early in order to return to their hotel and take care of their six-month-old puppy. Her priority at the moment is to start a family and she said that she does not want to make promises when she does not know how she's going to feel in the future. Siniscal said he asked Dunn to come out of his home shirtless and with his hands up. [9][12] The front seat passenger, Tevin Thompson, initially complied and turned the volume down, but Jordan Davis requested the volume be turned back up. Personal Injury Criminal Defense Family Law. I was worried about the blind firing situation, where they would shoot over their heads, whatever, and hit me, or hit me and Rhonda.. 2023 Cox Media Group. Juror #4, previously known as Juror #32 is a white, married man with a 10-year-old child. It looked like a firearm and he treated it like a firearm.. [29][30][31], Jury selection in Dunn's retrial began on September 22, 2014, and opening statements took place on September 25. Florida Mans Fiance Contradicts Parts of His Testimony in Killing of Teenager, https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/12/us/florida-mans-fiancee-contradicts-parts-of-his-testimony-in-killing-of-teenager.html, Michael Dunn told a Jacksonville jury on Tuesday that his decision to fire repeatedly at a vehicle holding four teenagers was a matter of life or death.. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. His fiance, Rhonda Rouer, says the last thing she heard him say was, "I hate that thug music." Rouer was in the convenience store when she heard gunshots, and when she ran outside, he told. Rouer said she had a glass of red wine and about three rum and cokes as well as champagne. He raised a significant question that still hangs over the proceedings: If the teenagers had a shotgun and were being fired upon, why didnt they use it? He tried to explain his story and excuse his lack of mentioning of a weapon, saying, I cannot recall if I ever conveyed the details of my decision making to you. [26], On February 15, 2014, after more than 30 hours of deliberation, the jury found Dunn guilty on the three counts of attempted murder. After Simons' testimony wrapped up at around 12:40 p.m., court took a lunch break. In the letter addressed to "Baby," Dunn goes on to tell her "I cannot recall if I ever conveyed the details of my decision making to you. Dunn's then-fiance testified, saying she heard him say, "I hate that thug music.". He calls the civil suit we filed bogus. 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