A Florida man who was convicted of manslaughter for fatally shooting an unarmed man during a dispute over a handicapped parking space was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Michael Drejka argued that he was acting in self-defense when he shot 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton in the parking lot of a convenience store in July 2018.
He claimed that he feared for his life and was justified in shooting McGlockton under Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law. The situation started when Drejka approached McGlockton's girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, and confronted her about parking in a handicapped spot. The two were arguing when McGlockton came out of the store and he shoved Drejka to the ground. Drejka pulled out a handgun and opened fire, fatally shooting McGlockton.
Authorities at the scene chose not to arrest Drejka, and news of the shooting sparked protests. A month later, prosecutors decided to file manslaughter charges against him.
Surveillance video from the shooting showed that after shoving Drejka to the ground, McGlockton turned to walk away before he was shot. The jury determined that because McGlockton was unarmed and walking away, Drejka had no reason to open fire and found him guilty of manslaughter.
In addition to the time behind bars, Drejka was fined $550 and must pay $5,000 in restitution to Jacobs.