Posted on 05/12/2012 3:08:24 PM PDT by marktwain
PORT ST. LUCIE — Investigators faced conflicting accounts in the March Sportsman's Park shooting that left Marcus Samuel dead, and couldn't overcome Terry McEliver's contention that he fired on Samuel in self-defense.
Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell Friday discussed the March 14 incident as officials announced no charges were being filed against McEliver, now 23, in connection with the death of Samuel, 25.
The case prompted Port St. Lucie city officials to examine security at the park in central Port St. Lucie as well as others and to put better police monitoring measures in place.
"At the end of the day, you have a lot of conflicting evidence showing exactly what happened the seconds before the shooting," Gosnell said. "What is not in dispute is that Samuel was armed and Samuel retrieved his gun first."
Samuel's fiancee, 29-year-old Nikki Kelly, on Friday said she thought the decision not to pursue charges was unfair.
"I feel that justice is not being served," Kelly said. "It kind of makes me feel like, if a person is killed and someone is claiming that it's self-defense but you don't have enough evidence, that you can just walk away."
Port St. Lucie police have said the shooting happened after an altercation involving Samuel and McKeliver, who were playing basketball at Sportsman's Park.
McKeliver and Jean Yves Toussaint fled in a vehicle after the incident. The driver, McKeliver, eventually stopped in Fort Pierce following a pursuit by St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office deputies. McKeliver and Toussaint, who was found with more than a dozen bags of marijuana, were arrested, but not in connection with the death.
Officials learned Samuel ran to his car and got a .22 caliber handgun he is said to have purchased in February.
(Excerpt) Read more at tcpalm.com ...
I usually let Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson decide for me.
[Yep, this is sarcasm]
It's called "innocent until proven guilty". Apparently they don't teach people about that anymore.
When fleeing the scene of a shooting, how stupid do you have to be to hang onto your pot?
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