Johnny Ray Clark
White male
Age at time: 45
Weapon: unarmed
Marilyn Caraway
White female
Age at time: 53
Weapon: gun
Case type:
Alleged home invasion
Location:
Defendant's Home
Initiator:
Disputed
Witnesses:
No
Case year:
2006
Location details: Defendant's home on Langley Place in Pensacola, Escambia County, on Nov. 28, 2006
What happened: Marilyn Caraway shot and killed her former boyfriend after hearing a noise outside her home and seeing the silhouette of a "big man" she thought was breaking in at about 6:45 in the morning. Johnny Ray Clark, 45, told his parents he was going over to retrieve a scope for his gun. Clark was shot once in the chest while standing outside in front of an open sliding glass door.
The outcome: No charge. Citing stand your ground, prosecutors said the woman had reason to believe she was in danger when she pulled the trigger.
Investigating agency: Escambia County Sheriff
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 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
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? |
|
||
Did someone witness the attack? |
|
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Was there physical evidence? |
|
Source: Pensacola Independent News, May 31, 2007.
Source: Pensacola News Journal, Dec. 24, 2006.
Source: Shooting the Messenger, May 31, 2007. Link to original source
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Case last updated: July 3, 2012
