Current:Home > StocksJury begins deliberations in trial of white Florida woman in fatal shooting of Black neighbor -ProgressCapital
Jury begins deliberations in trial of white Florida woman in fatal shooting of Black neighbor
View
Date:2025-04-13 14:30:55
A Florida jury began deliberations Friday in the manslaughter trial of a white woman accused of manslaughter in the shooting death of a Black neighbor amid an ongoing feud over the neighbor’s children.
Susan Lorincz, 60, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted in the June 2023 killing of 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.” Owens, a mother of four, in Ocala, Florida. Lorincz claimed she fired her .380-caliber handgun through her locked, metal front door in self-defense because Owens was pounding on the door and yelling loudly.
Prosecutor Rich Buxman said in a closing argument there was no evidence that Owens posed an imminent physical threat to Lorincz but came to the defendant’s house after her children complained Lorincz had allegedly thrown roller skates and an umbrella at them amid a long-running annoyance at their boisterous play outside.
“It’s not a crime to bang on somebody’s door. It’s not a crime to yell,” Buxman told jurors. “There was no imminent danger whatsoever when she fired that gun.”
A lawyer for Lorincz countered that she was frightened by Owens’ aggressive actions and was legally justified in firing her gun under Florida’s “stand your ground” law. An autopsy found Owens weighed about 290 pounds ((130 kilograms), making her much larger as well as younger than Lorincz, and the two had previous confrontations.
“She can defend herself,” said Amanda Sizemore, an assistant public defender. “She had a split second to make a decision whether or not to fire her weapon.”
Lorincz did not testify in her own defense but said in an interview with detectives that was played for jurors that she never intended to harm Owens. Still, in one 911 call, Lorincz told a dispatcher, “I’m just sick of these children.”
“She was not in fear. She was angry,” Buxman said.
The six-person jury is all white and Owens’ family has expressed surprise no Black jurors were selected given the racially sensitive nature of the case. There were protests in the Black community when prosecutors took weeks to charge Lorincz with manslaughter, a lesser count than second-degree murder which carries a potential life prison sentence.
The county court clerk’s office said in an email that eight Black people were among the 70 in the initial jury pool. In contrast, 49 were white and 10 were listed as Hispanic, two as Asian and one as “other,” the clerk’s office said, based on records provided by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Ocala is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Orlando in central Florida. Marion County’s Black population is about 12%, according to census figures.
veryGood! (2135)
Related
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Drake announced for Houston Bun B concert: See who else is performing at sold-out event
- Man convicted of 2 killings in Delaware and accused of 4 in Philadelphia gets 7 life terms
- Ireland’s Constitution says a woman’s place is in the home. Voters are being asked to change that
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear ready to campaign for Harris-Walz after losing out for spot on the ticket
- Government funding bill advances as Senate works to beat midnight shutdown deadline
- Peek inside the gift bags for Oscar nominees in 2024, valued at $178,000
- Man gets 142 years for 2017 stabbing deaths of Fort Wayne couple
- The 'Rebel Ridge' trailer is here: Get an exclusive first look at Netflix movie
- Veteran Miami prosecutor quits after judge’s rebuke over conjugal visits for jailhouse informants
Ranking
- New Orleans mayor’s former bodyguard making first court appearance after July indictment
- Maryland Senate passes bill to let people buy health insurance regardless of immigration status
- Microsoft says it hasn’t been able to shake Russian state hackers
- Economy added robust 275,000 jobs in February, report shows. But a slowdown looms.
- Bodycam footage shows high
- 'Normalize the discussion around periods': Jessica Biel announces upcoming children's book
- Quinoa is a celeb favorite food. What is it and why is it so popular?
- Wolfgang Van Halen slams ex-bandmate David Lee Roth's nepotism comments
Recommendation
Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
Bill to protect election officials unanimously passes Maryland Senate
A West Virginia bill to remove marital exemption for sexual abuse wins final passage
Who is Katie Britt, the senator who delivered the Republican State of the Union response?
Man charged with murder in death of beloved Detroit-area neurosurgeon
Indiana lawmakers pass bill defining antisemitism, with compromises
Fans, social media pay tribute to 'Dragon Ball' creator Akira Toriyama following death
Feds detail ex-Jaguars employee Amit Patel's spending on 'life of luxury'