A Florida woman faces up to 30 years behind bars after being convicted of fatally shooting her neighbor over an ongoing issue about children playing in the yard.
An all-white jury in Ocala, Fla., found 60-year-old white defendant Susan Lorincz guilty of manslaughter in the death of her black neighbor, Ajike “AJ” Owens in June 2023.
A Florida jury found a 60-year-old White woman guilty of manslaughter with a firearm for fatally shooting an unarmed Black mother during an ongoing dispute over children playing near her home pic.twitter.com/7NnmMlCcTE
— Sunflowers (@mia_mikela) August 17, 2024
Lorincz claimed that Owens’ four children had been harassing her and she was “angry” that they had been playing outside between the two houses. The jury was told how Lorincz struck 35-year-old Owens through her closed door when she fired off her .380-caliber handgun. Though defense attorneys argued that it was in self-defense because Owens had come banging on her door, prosecutor Rich Buxman told the jury that evidence showed Lorincz “was not in fear, she was angry” when she pulled the trigger.
“It’s not a crime to bang on somebody’s door. It’s not a crime to yell,” he said during closing arguments. “There was no imminent danger whatsoever when she fired that gun.”
Fla. mother of four fatally shot by neighbor following alleged altercation over children playing https://t.co/0S0CcZxe6Q via @americanwire_
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) June 7, 2023
“The defendant’s choices have left four young children without their mother, a loss that will be felt for the rest of their lives,” State Attorney William Gladson said in a statement after the conviction. “While today’s verdict can’t bring AJ back, we hope it brings some measure of justice and peace to her family and friends.”
Lorincz was escorted out by deputies after the verdict was read and members of the victim’s family in the courtroom could be heard crying.
“The victim’s family members broke down in tears after Lorincz left the courtroom with deputies. She showed no reaction or emotion when the verdict was announced,” CBS News reported.
“Circuit Judge Robert W. Hodges did not immediately set a sentencing date but ordered a background report to be done on Lorincz,” the outlet added.”
“It’s a good step in the right direction,” said Anthony Thomas, an attorney for the Owens family. “The jury did their job today. Now it’s up to Judge Hodges to do his job in handing down the best sentence he can, which is the maximum penalty.”
“We’ve achieved some justice for Ajike. My heart is a little lighter,” Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias told reporters. “This has been a long journey to get to this stage, to get to this verdict. I find some peace with that verdict.”
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Frieda@bizpacreview.com
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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