1. This wouldn't be a story if Alexander wasn't black.
2. She left, got the gun, and then returned in order to fire here "warning shot". The DA viewed it as intimidation with a firearm.
3. 20 years was a stupidly long sentence for the offense, but that is the M.O. of our DA, Angela Corey, who over charges everthing she touches.
You make good points. I agree that the major impetus for the law is the insanity of the inflexible sentencing law.
That is true and it is probably because of her overreach that this case was usable as leverage for an expansion of FL's SYG law. She pushed the pendulum too far for her personal gain and it swung back in favor of all Floridians. Lemons made into lemonade.
It was aggravated assault. I doubt the DA viewed it as intimidation. It was probably viewed as missed shot.
"3. 20 years was a stupidly long sentence for the offense, but that is the M.O. of our DA, Angela Corey, who over charges everthing she touches."
In this case the fault is the Florida minimum sentencing laws. It is a stupidly long sentence, but it's also mandated by the law. The DA had nothing to do with it. In fact, Alexander was offered a plea deal for 3 years, but turned it down.
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From my reading of the story, I viewed it as she missed, and then claimed it was a warning shot.