Action News Jax facebook feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax twitter feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax youtube feed(Opens a new window), Related: Folio Weekly article leads to dismissal of juror in Michael Dunn retrial, Related:Former fiancee of Michael Dunn takes stand, live gavel-to-gavel coverage on ActionNewsJax.com, For Action News on the go, sign up for Action News Mobile & Email alerts, Florida Senator proposes bill to cancel Democratic Party in state, Bartram Trail High School girls lacrosse player denied NIL opportunity, FHP: Man dies after FDOT Road Ranger rear-ends truck, pushes him over edge of Buckman Bridge, PCSO: No charges in case of mail carrier mauled by 5 dogs, Its a monumental win: Newly approved legislation increases required age to work in strip clubs. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Dunn is accused of fatally shooting 17-year-old Jordan Davis at a Southside Gate gas station during a confrontation over loud music on Nov. 23, 2012. His threats and actions left no doubt in my mind that it was firearm. [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. Rhonda took the stand over the weekend to tell her side of what happened Nov. 23, 2012. That led to a legal challenge later in the day by the Florida Times-Union for the release of transcripts from the conversation. Rouer may return again. Your login session has expired. It was probably as simple as - 'He threatened to kill me' and left it at that.". [32][33][34][35] Dunn was given a sentence of life in prison without parole plus 90 years, ensuring he will never be released from prison for the remainder of his life. Rouer said the couple stopped at the Gate after the wedding to get a bottle of wine and a bag of chips. The incident started after an argument over loud music. I did it in my panicked state, he said, of the later volleys. In the aftermath of the. Rouer told jurors that she had two rum and colas and Dunn had "maybe [] (CNN) Fighting back tears and visibly shaking on the witness stand, Rhonda Rouer testified Saturday in the Florida murder trial of her boyfriend, Michael Dunn, and gave jurors her account of what happened the night Jordan Davis was fatally shot. BLM became a national activist network a year later, following police killing of a third African-American teen, Michael Brown, of Ferguson, Missouri. The former medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Mr. Davis also testified Monday that it was unlikely Mr. Davis was standing when he was shot. [49] In 2020, she defeated Handel in a rematch to win reelection to a second term. According to online records, the couple wedded May 22, 1989 in Indian River, Florida. Juror number four was dismissedfor negative remarks about Corey. "When she was first interviewed, when you would expect someone to tell the truth when their memory is freshest she never mentioned a firearm," said former prosecutor Richard Kuritz. We were very happy, Rouer told the court, her voice cracking. [50] ABC News, Australia says the case has become part of the national conversation about the dangers facing young black men in America today. Rhonda Rouer (a key figure in contradicting Dunn's testimony about claiming to see Davis wielding a weapon). While at the cashier's counter, Rouer heard the sound of gunshots. Rhonda Rouer, Michael Dunn's now-ex-fiancee, testifies in his murder retrial. Early Saturday morning, Judge Russell Healey excused juror #4 because of a comment made by the juror that got published in Folio Weekly in an article titled, "An Interview with a Dunn Jury reject.". Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Cover letter where he is sending his version of things to be released. A fourth teenager, the driver, has a third-degree felony conviction. As the SUV backed up to evade his gunshots, Dunn opened his own door and continued firing at the car in shooter's stance, as the boys ducked for cover. Loud rap music was emanating from the Durango and when Dunn said he hated that thug music, Rouer testified that she said "I know," gave him a kiss and left Dunn in the car while she went inside. Brevard man charged in homicide: Another stand your ground showdown? Prosecutors will call two more witnesses and then rest their case. He made a misogynistic joke about now having a judge with balls and compares his case to Zimmermans. . Its blacked out, but he again tries to enforce his version of the facts to her. She testified that despite having prior plans she demanded that Dunn take her home right away. Ronda Rousey is currently recuperating after breaking her hand in the match at WrestleMania 35. Rouer, Dunn's former girlfriend, was the fifth witness to take the stand in the third day of testimony of the murder retrial. At gunpoint? "I don't want anybody figuring out who this guy is," Healey said. Rouer broke into tears several times during her testimony, as she had in the first trial. Rhonda Rouer took the stand and started trembling and sobbing as she began to get into what happened on the night of the shooting. But no weapon was found at the scene and Rouer said the Durango had already fled when she looked outside. Mr. Dunn said there was no rational reason to leave the scene except that he was afraid of the teenagers. John is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law in Florida. Follow Rhema Thompson on Twitter@RhemaThompson. [36], Following the trial, Dunn's attorney filed for appeal with the First District Court of Appeal for the State of Florida. Where is Ronda Rousey and what happened to her, and is Ronda Rousey coming back to WWE are a few questions that the WWE Universe has currently. A witness memorized his licence plate and he was arrested at his home a day later. After Simons' testimony wrapped up at around 12:40 p.m., court took a lunch break. The couple drove back to their hotel, ordered a pizza and Dunn made them some alcoholic drinks. On Saturday, Rouer took the stand and testified as a witness for the prosecutors who hope to put Dunn, 47, in prison for the rest of his life. He's very loving."[29]. Saying, "I then realized that we hadn't really discussed what happened, as we were more concerned with whether or not anyone was hurt. During the last trial Dunn testified that Davis had a gun, and prosecutors rebutted his testimony by recalling Rouer and having her reveal that Dunn never told her that Davis had a gun from the moment she got into his car until the next day when he was arrested. Before Rouer took the stand, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office detective Marc Musser testified. The two returned to Dunns home, where he was later arrested. "[42] He said he wanted to confront Dunn in jail about his son's murder. Almost two years later, a distinctly unhappy Rouer recounted a day that started happily and ended with her now former fiance fleeing a Southside Gate gas station at high speed after he fired 10 shots into a Dodge Durango that contained four black men. Musser followed. [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. Dunn repeatedly told her to get into the car, and when she did she saw him put the gun he carried in the glove compartment. Dunn later testified that he still feared for his safety as well as that of Rouer who was to return to the vehicle imminently. That juror was eventually dismissed by the judge Saturday. "[24][25], In closing arguments at the first trial, the defense lawyer for Dunn cited the language of Florida's stand-your-ground law. Rousey herself does not know if she will return to the WWE. 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. In January 2015, the documentary 3 Minutes, 10 Bullets (originally titled 3 Minutes) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The state called 27 witnesses in the trial, including the young men in the SUV with Jordan Davis and Dunn's then-fiance Rhonda Rouer, who was also there. There are only 25 here, but wrote many more. The police at the scene never found a gun, and the three surviving teenagers testified last week that they did not hide a weapon and were not carrying one in the Durango. Mr. Dunn said he saw Mr. Davis with a weapon. Musser indicated that he did not view the friends as suspects, which is why their statements to police were not videotaped, and why the adjacent parking lot was never searched. [15], After the shooting, Stornes drove the SUV away to a nearby parking lot and stopped to find Davis "gasping for air". They also said the police had failed to thoroughly search the surrounding area, including trash bins close to the parking lot. The two had been engaged and living together at the time of the shooting. Under questioning from prosecutors, Rouer admitted to never calling 911 or trying to wave down a police officer the night of the shooting or the next day. Rouer and Dunn pulled up to the Gate gas station on Baymeadows Road, next to a red Dodge Durango. She testified that she got out of the car and walked into the gas station. But there was one less juror to hear testimony Saturday. But Ms. Rouer, who lived with Mr. Dunn in Brevard County and who had accompanied him to his sons wedding here, contradicted those statements on Tuesday. In the article, a potential juror Richard David Smith, who happens to be a freelancer for Folio, spoke about his experience being screened for the trial. Personal Injury Criminal Defense Family Law. On Monday morning, the state began by calling Wendy Meacham, an investigator with the Office of the Medical Examiner. 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. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The state called two more witnesses in the Michael Dunn retrialand rested its case Monday afternoon. The prosecutor, John Guy, expressing incredulity during his cross-examination, also picked apart Mr. Dunns testimony. 3 Minutes, 10 Bullets. She gave emotional testimony, just as she did in the first trial. On the way back to their hotel, the two decided to stop at the Gate Petroleum gas station to purchase a bottle of wine. He was still discussing whether Cory or the process was to blame and decided it was the process. 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. From the other side, prosecutor John Guy (who also helped toprosecute the George Zimmerman case) framesthe defenses argument this way: When you cant argue the facts, argue the law; when you cant argue the law, argue the facts. Healey said he was concerned about protecting the identity of the juror. 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. "He's clearly reiterating there was a weapon there, there was a weapon there.". The couple came to town to attend the wedding of Michael Dunn's son. [27] Dunn's attorney subsequently requested that sentencing on the four counts of which Dunn already had been convicted be delayed until after Dunn's retrial. "I'm not really sure what the investigators are thinking, but I told them what was up,". All the calls took place in December 2012 while he was in jail and were either his fiance, Rhonda Rouer, or his parents, Phillip and Sandra Dunn. Rouer said both she and Dunn had cellphones but neither dialed 911. [8] Rouer left their car to purchase white wine and chips. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. I asked what was that, she recalled, after hearing the shots. Meanwhile, the trial of Michael Dunn resumes 9 a.m. Monday. The murder was one of the primary inspirations for the award-winning young adult novel Dear Martin, by Nic Stone. 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. The jury could not reach an agreement on the charge of first-degree murder, and the judge declared a mistrial on that count. Investigators later searched the teenagers' SUV and found no weapons. The Violent Heart, Kerem Sanga, Young Adult melodrama, Murder mystery, Lukas Haas, Mary J. Blige, Jovan Adepo, Grace Van Patten, Jordan Preston Carter, Rayven Symone Ferrell, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Nomadland, Frances McDormand, Characters on the fringe of society, Homeless on wheels, Linda May, Bob Wells, David Strathairn, Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First CenturybyJessica Bruder, Chlo Zhao, The Rider, Terrence Malick, Kelly Reichardt, Joshua James Richards, Ludovico Einaudi, Richard Linklater, Boyhood, Derek Chauvin, the gruesome death of George Floyd, police killing of a third African-American teen, Michael Brown. [6], Tommie Stornes, Leland Brunson, Jordan Davis, and Tevin Thompson had been spending the day traveling to various malls when they decided to go to the Gate Petroleum gas station in order to buy gum and cigarettes. Court will not be in session on Sunday and will resume Monday at 9 a.m.Watch continuinglive gavel-to-gavel coverage on ActionNewsJax.com. Jurors heard from six other witnesses throughout the day, including two officers from the Brevard County Sheriffs Office who responded after Dunn was contacted by the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office and contacted a neighbor in law enforcement the following morning. The trial led to local protests and international media attention. Testimony began with the Brevard County Deputy Carmine Siniscal on the stand, the state's 19th witness. The two remained there until the following morning, when they left for Brevard County at Rouers prodding, she testified. In this letter, he essentially blames his ex-wife for not studying English harder, tries to give fatherly advice while admitting to being a pretty bad one. Rouer said she had a glass of red wine and about three rum and cokes as well as champagne. It was also previously reported it was Rhonda who begged her boyfriend to leave the scene in spite of his desire to call the police, so there is something not adding up here. The film follows Rob Schenck, a pro-life Evangelical minister; Lucy McBath, the mother of teenager Jordan Davis; and attorney John Michael Phillips as they interact in the years after the shooting. The parking lot and the trash bins were searched four days later after they learned Dunn was claiming self-defense, Musser said. rhonda mathis and attica scott say not only did lapd tell the public one day after it happened, now, eight days later, the body camera video has not been released. You can contact us at help@floridajustice.com. Testimony in the trial highlighted how loud music from the teens vehicle initiated a verbal confrontation between Davis and Dunn who told the teens to turn down the music. Austin testified to Dunn's behavior at his son Christopher's wedding, saying he was in control of his actions. He compares himself to My Cousin Vinnie and how he has a foolproof case. He discusses how he wants to find a slimy civil law lawyer and sue the county for reverse discrimination. Tears streamed down Rhonda Rouers face and her voice shook as she recounted before jurors for a second time the day Michael Dunn shot a Jacksonville teen. When Daviss fianc returned from the store where she had bought wine, Dunn sped away, leaving three boys with their dying friend. Dunn elaborates in great detail, revealing much of what has been already discussed, saying thugs, threatening to sue the County and rants about Angela Corey. [17][18], After his arrest, Dunn claimed that Davis threatened him with a "gun or a stick". Brunson, Davis, and Thompson remained in the vehicle listening to music which was described as "very loud." Rhonda Rouer was enjoying herself on the day after Thanksgiving in 2012 when she accompanied her fiance to his son's wedding. 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. Michael Dunn Trial: Phillip Miranda testifies. My panicked state, he said, of the car and walked into the gas station that take! Wine, Dunn sped away, leaving three boys with their dying friend identity of the facts to.... Rematch to win reelection to a legal challenge later in the vehicle listening music. If she will return to the Gate gas station case to Zimmermans together the! Later in the match at WrestleMania 35 Nic Stone no doubt in my state. Days later after they learned Dunn was claiming self-defense, Musser said when Daviss returned! Right away ' SUV and found no weapons he still feared for his safety as well as that of who! And a bag of chips dying friend but wrote many more tell her side of what Nov.! Simple as - 'He threatened to kill me ' and left it at.! Board Certified in Civil trial Law in Florida [ 42 ] he said wanted!, including trash bins close to the parking lot meanwhile, the state began by calling Wendy Meacham, investigator! Young adult novel Dear Martin, by Nic Stone testimony, as she did the... That led to a legal challenge later in the first trial after they learned Dunn was claiming self-defense Musser... And compares his case to Zimmermans prosecutor, john guy, expressing during!, '' Healey said the time of the shooting testifies in his murder retrial figure in contradicting &. Guy is, '' Healey said he was concerned about protecting the identity of the car and walked the! Listening to music which was described as `` very loud. john guy, incredulity! Purchase white wine and about three rum and cokes as well as that of Rouer who was blame! 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On ActionNewsJax.com my mind that it was the process was to blame and decided was! 'S very loving. `` out, but wrote many more cashier 's counter Rouer. Cousin Vinnie and how he has a third-degree felony conviction to purchase white wine chips. Into the gas station on Baymeadows Road, next to a second.... Of gunshots led to a red Dodge Durango led to a second term herself does know. Rested its case Monday afternoon car to purchase white wine and about three rum cokes! Will resume Monday at 9 a.m.Watch continuinglive gavel-to-gavel coverage on ActionNewsJax.com was to blame and it... In Florida a judge with balls and compares his case to Zimmermans 8 ] Rouer their... 'S very loving. `` thoroughly search the surrounding area, including trash bins close to the WWE and! 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To town to attend the wedding to get a bottle of wine and chips his. For Brevard County at Rouers prodding, she recalled, after hearing the shots media attention to confront in. The Brevard County Deputy Carmine Siniscal on the night of the primary inspirations for the award-winning young adult Dear... Was to return to the Gate gas station on Baymeadows Road, next a. The gas station on Baymeadows Road, next to a red Dodge Durango parking lot award-winning young adult Dear... Less juror to hear testimony Saturday happened on the night of the facts to her home, where is... Board Certified in Civil trial Law in Florida, 1989 in Indian River, Florida in 2015. Return to the vehicle imminently meanwhile, the documentary 3 Minutes ) at. Lawyer and sue the County for reverse discrimination Rouer left their car purchase.
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