Despite years of negative publicity over Florida's "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law, lawmakers are close to expanding it to protect gunmen who fire warning shots or wave weapons in a threatening manner—and they're doing it with a bill written by a top NRA lobbyist, Gawker has learned.
The 71-year-old ex-cop who killed a fellow moviegoer and injured the victim's wife for texting in the theater will remain in custody without bail, because "the evidence of guilt is significant," according to the judge who arraigned him. He reportedly also had threatened movie patrons before.
When Curtis Reeves Jr. killed a texting moviegoer and wounded a bystander at a theater outside Tampa yesterday with a .380 pistol, it sounded like a clear case of rage. But the 71-year-old retired cop may have been in fear for his life—and he may be able to take advantage of Florida's gun-friendly self-defense law.
Andrew Meyer caught viral fame in 2007 when, as a University of Florida student journalist, he tried to question then-Sen. John Kerry at an event and ended up tased by campus cops, despite his dudely entreaties for them not to do it. Guess what? Now he's on the press freedom beat!
Sick burn, dude.
How awesome is it to be a legislator in the Sunshine State this year? This awesome: You get to approve the legalization of adultery, cohabitation, and giving young children a strain of marijuana called Charlotte's Web, all in one afternoon sitting.
Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott's plan to turn the American dong into a tea party utopia has hit two snags: Jews and the irascible human desire for food that doesn't look and taste like a whale's duodenum.
"I feel like he always gets off," pregnant Samantha Scheibe told a police investigator after her boyfriend—George Zimmerman, killer of Trayvon Martin, alleged abuser of his wife, violator of innumerable traffic laws, collector of many firearms—pointed a shotgun at her and smashed her belongings. Scheibe was right, again.
On Fox News' live New Years Eve 2013 spectacular "All American New Year," it was definitely an all-American celebration. Lecherous host Phil Keating, after approaching a drunk woman and calling her a "tall drink of water," got what he deserved: the two women he interviewed were so excited for 2014, they kissed, flipped off the camera, flashed tongue, and screamed, "We're gonna fuck shit up!"
Professional wrestler and food enthusiast Bryan Smith needs your help. For some reason, his Manor Professional Wrestling Dinner Theater outside Orlando hasn't reached Medieval Times-style levels of success just yet.
When people think of weird crime stories, they think of Florida. And that's fair—the strange Southern state has certainly earned the right to call itself (or be called) the Stupid Criminal Capital of the World. But to say Florida has a monopoly on dumb criminals does a great disservice to other idiot states, like Ohio and Oklahoma, and otherwise respectable countries, like Canada and Sweden. To be sure everyone gets their due, we're proud to present: The Year in Stupid Crime.
If you're driving fast through Melbourne along Florida's Space Coast this holiday season, you're taking a big chance. At thousands of dollars in prizes!
