Victim’s mom angry not at son’s killer, but ‘the system’
Chavers released on bond while appealing his 10-year sentence.
A Palm Beach County judge granted Rodney Chavers the chance to be out on bond as he awaits an appeal of his 10-year sentence for a fatal shooting in 2015.
Thursday morning, Judge Joseph Marx granted 43-year-old Chavers a $100,000 bond and ordered that if he is released, he must be put on in-house arrest while his appeal is pending. Chavers was sentenced in June for the 2015 fatal shooting of 42-year-old Tarrie Wilder in Riviera Beach.
After the shooting, Chavers went to Sugar Daddy’s Adult Cabaret in suburban West Palm Beach to “get his mind off of what happened,” witnesses told police.
When Chavers was sentenced, Wilder’s mother, Pat Fedina, said she knew it would not be the end of her time in court on behalf of her son. She had anticipated an appeal but said at this point she’s just disappointed.
“I can’t be angry towards (Chavers),” she said outside the courtroom after the bond hearing Thursday.
“It’s the system that I’m angry at.”
The case against Chavers was initially dismissed in 2016 when Palm Beach County Judge Judge Samantha Schosberg Feuer granted his motion for self-defense in the shooting under the “stand your ground” law.
Chavers said he and Wilder were with a group of people when Wilder attacked him.
Chavers said the attack came after Chavers said he didn’t have to worry about anyone taking his money because he had protection, according to court documents.
But that ruling was overturned by the 4th District Court of Appeal in November 2017 after the prosecution argued “stand your ground” doesn’t cover a defendant when a criminal act is taking place.
The prosecution said Chavers carried a concealed weapon without a license at the time of the incident, which is a felony, and that he was openly carrying a gun, which is a misdemeanor.
To be granted “stand your ground” immunity, defendants must believe they are in imminent danger, be in a place they have the right to be and are not taking part in a criminal act.
Once the case was brought back to Palm Beach County, a jury found Chavers guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter in April this year.
Chavers was originally charged with second-degree murder.