Man charged in Florida ‘stand your ground’ killing

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Prosecutors charged a white man with manslaughter Monday in the death of an unarmed black man whose video-recorded shooting in a store parking lot has revived debate over Florida’s “stand your ground” law.

Michael Drejka, 47, has been charged with the July 19 death of Markeis Mcglockton outside a Clearwater convenience store, Pinellas County State Attorney Bernie Mccabe said. Drejka was being held at the county jail on $100,000 bail. It is unknown if he has an attorney.

Mcglockton’s girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, who was seated in the couple’s car with two of their children, ages 3 years and 4 months, said Drejka confronted her for being parked in a handicapped-accessible space. Mcglockton, 28, had gone into the store with their 5-year-old son.

Jacobs said Drejka cursed at her. Video shows Mcglockton exited the store and shoved Drejka to the ground. Seconds later, Drejka pulled a handgun and shot Mcglockton as he backed away.

In court documents, Mccabe and Pinellas sheriff ’s Detective George Moffett cited three other drivers who said Drejka threatened them during confrontations that preceded his run-in with Mcglockton. Two of them said he displayed a gun.

A black man who drives a septic truck told Moffett he parked in the same handicapped-accessible spot three months before the shooting, the documents show. The man said Drejka began yelling at him and said he would shoot him. The driver said he left, but as he pulled away Drejka shouted racial slurs.

The man’s boss told Moffett that Drejka later called, telling him “that he was lucky he didn’t blow his employee’s head off.”