Michael Dunn killed Jordan Davis in the most cold-blooded manner
It took a Florida jury just six hours to find Michael Dunn guilty of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Jordan Russell Davis.
Earlier this year, a jury found him guilty of 3 counts of second-degree attempted murder and firing into an occupied vehicle, but a mistrial was declared on the most serious charge — first-degree murder.
We send our love and support to the family of Jordan Davis. Today is a day to remember Jordan and honor his life, renew our commitment to ending Florida’s deadly “Stand Your Ground” or “Shoot First” law, and grow our movement to end violence perpetrated against Black youth.
The nation has seen Black children murdered in Florida — by racist vigilantes harboring deep racial bias — and their killers have been allowed to use the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law as a deflective shield. With Florida’s election fast approaching, it is critical that Gov. Scott show the necessary leadership to create a criminal justice that respects the life, safety, and dignity of all Floridians.
Today’s guilty verdict was made possible because of the tremendous efforts of Jordan’s parents, Ron Davis and Lucy McBath, as well as the organizing of tens of thousands of ColorOfChange members and our partners who did not sit silent after the initial verdict, we organized and pressured Florida Prosecutors to retry Dunn and hold him completely accountable for his deadly actions. And that’s exactly what they did. While a guilty verdict could never bring Jordan back, we are grateful that this Florida jury held his killer completely accountable and justice prevailed.
There is still a lot of work to do. Thousands of ColorOfChange members have called on Gov. Scott to suspend Angela Corey and condemn her discriminatory and deadly legacy of over-charging and over-incarcerating Black defendants.
In the coming months, Marissa Alexander will face trial and we must be vigilant. Gov. Scott has a responsibility and obligation to condemn the charges against Marissa Alexander and put an end to Corey’s racially-motivated and unjust prosecution of Black Americans.
Murderers are less likely to be held accountable for their deadly actions when the victim is Black and the killer is white, and policies like “Stand Your Ground” have worsened this in Florida and across the nation.
ColorOfChange honors Jordan’s memory by continuing to demand that our criminal justice system values and protects Black youth.
We’re calling for an end to deadly stand your ground laws — in Florida and across the country –which put Black youth like Jordan Davis, Renisha McBride and Trayvon Martin at risk of vigilante violence.
Rashad Robinson, is Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org
With over 900,000 members, ColorOfChange.org is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization.
