Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Omaha Steve

(104,737 posts)
Sat Dec 7, 2024, 03:24 PM Dec 2024

Florida man accused of hate crime in deadly shooting of gay man claims self-defense

Source: AP

Updated 12:13 PM CST, December 7, 2024

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man accused of a hate crime for killing a gay man is asking a judge to dismiss the charges, saying he acted in self-defense.

Gerald Radford testified on Friday that he feared for his own life when he shot John “Walt” Lay at a Tampa dog park on Feb. 2.

Local news outlets report Radford testified that Lay repeatedly hit him in the face just before the shooting.

“I don’t know if I told him to stop or not, but he wasn’t stopping,” Radford testified in a hearing before Hillsborough Circuit Judge Samantha Ward.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/florida-tampa-dog-park-shooting-gay-hate-f87b898ace55291e894f26feb0346071

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Florida man accused of hate crime in deadly shooting of gay man claims self-defense (Original Post) Omaha Steve Dec 2024 OP
Hell, Z got away with murder using that bogus law. HOWEVER..... groundloop Dec 2024 #1
Couldn't shooting an insurance CEO be considered self defence? doc03 Dec 2024 #2
Send him to old Sparky. GreenWave Dec 2024 #3
Sounds like a retooled version of the "Gay Panic Defense". Behind the Aegis Dec 2024 #4
Here is the homophobic homicidal miscreant. C0RI0LANUS Dec 2024 #5
After reading the linked article, Prof. Toru Tanaka Dec 2024 #6
He will probably be offered a job with the newly formed 'Dept. of Purity and Patriotism'... OldBaldy1701E Dec 2024 #7
The only thing "pure" about Radford Prof. Toru Tanaka Dec 2024 #8

groundloop

(12,640 posts)
1. Hell, Z got away with murder using that bogus law. HOWEVER.....
Sat Dec 7, 2024, 05:04 PM
Dec 2024

near the bottom of the article we're told that prosecutors are saying that ballistics evidence disproves the self defense claim. Hopefully common sense will prevail and justice will be done.

Behind the Aegis

(55,172 posts)
4. Sounds like a retooled version of the "Gay Panic Defense".
Sat Dec 7, 2024, 05:45 PM
Dec 2024

This is common among bigots, any minority who stands up to them is a threat, therefore any action the bigot takes is justified in their pathetic, diseased little minds.

C0RI0LANUS

(3,015 posts)
5. Here is the homophobic homicidal miscreant.
Sat Dec 7, 2024, 05:56 PM
Dec 2024



Gerald Declan Radford (L); harmless victim John Walter Lay (R) (Photo: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Facebook)

In an average year, 3,038 people die and 6,358 are wounded by guns in Florida. The Sunshine State has the 23rd-highest rate of gun violence in the US.




Source:

https://everystat.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Gun-Violence-in-Florida-2024-05.pdf

Prof. Toru Tanaka

(2,490 posts)
6. After reading the linked article,
Sat Dec 7, 2024, 06:18 PM
Dec 2024

it appears that Gerald Radford clearly went out of his way to harass, intimidate and bully John Lay. I hope he is convicted and imprisoned.

Prof. Toru Tanaka

(2,490 posts)
8. The only thing "pure" about Radford
Sat Dec 7, 2024, 09:00 PM
Dec 2024

is his hatred for groups he doesn’t like or agree with. He probably would fit right in with the fascists. I hope he doesn’t walk like Zimmerman did.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Florida man accused of ha...