Omar Bonilla
White male
Age at time: 27
Weapon: gun
Victim photo: Florida Department of Corrections
Demarro Battle
Black male
Age at time: 21
Weapon: gun
Defendant photo: Lee County Sheriff's Office
Case type:
Fight at bar/party
Location:
Victim's Property
Initiator:
Unclear
Witnesses:
Yes
Case year:
2009
Location details: During party at victim's home in Fort Myers, Lee County, on July 17, 2009
What happened: Demarro Battle fatally shot Omar Bonilla after an argument at a party. Earlier in the dispute, Bonilla had fired his gun into the ground and beaten Battle in the head. Then Bonilla ran inside his apartment, gave his gun to a friend, telling him to hide it, and returned unarmed to confront Battle. Battle, meanwhile, had retrieved his gun from his car and fatally shot Bonilla.
The outcome: Battle was arrested by police and charged with second-degree murder. But charges were dropped by the state attorney. "Under current Florida law the defendant had no duty to retreat," an assistant state attorney wrote.
Investigating agency: Fort Myers Police
Case decision made by: Prosecutor
Trayvon Martin’s death became controversial because circumstances leading up to the shooting cast doubt on who was to blame. The Tampa Bay Times reviewed other “stand your ground” cases for similar circumstances. The Times relied on available information, some of which may not tell the whole story. When the situation was unclear, that was noted.
| Yes | No | Unclear/ disputed |
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|---|---|---|---|
Did the victim initiate the confrontation? |
 |
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Was the victim armed? |
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Was the victim committing a crime that led to the confrontation? |
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Did the defendant pursue the victim? |
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Could the defendant have retreated to avoid the conflict? |
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Was the defendant on his or her property? |
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Did someone witness the attack? |
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Was there physical evidence? |
|
Source: The News Press, Aug. 30, 2009.
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Case last updated: July 3, 2012
