Judge rejects ‘stand your ground' claim of former federal prosecutor
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Pinellas County Judge has rejected the 'Stand your ground' motion from a former Federal Prosecutor in a stabbing case from an incident in 2023.
Patrick Scruggs once worked as a Assistant U.S. Attorney. On September 26-th, 2023, he was driving on the Howard Frankland Bridge and saw a car stopped in the middle of the bridge in a traffic lane.
Former Bucs player among 255 arrested in 'Fool Around and Find Out' undercover investigation
Another driver saw the same stopped vehicle and got out of his car to investigate.
That driver, Ahmad Gahaf said he went to the stopped car and saw a man passed out in the vehicle. Gahaf said he tried knocking on the window, but the driver did not wake up.
Patrick Scruggs came up to the scene, and the driver who was passed out, came to and attempted to leave, hitting Scrugg's car.
The former prosecutor got out of his car and used the end of a knife to knock out the driver's window. When he did, the startled driver attempted to leave again, but his car was wedged between Scrugg's car and Gahaf's car. Scruggs then used the knife to repeatedly stab the driver.
During a hearing, Scrugg's attorney's argued this is a 'stand your ground' case, under Florida law. Scrugg's attorney's claimed 'he was justified in his use of force and had no duty to retreat'.
Several witnesses testified Scrugg's appeared enraged as he stabbed the driver and could have just walked away.
Friday, Judge Keith Meyer issued a ruling, rejecting the stand your ground claim.
In his order, Meyer wrote:
The Court finds that the State has established through clear and convincing evidence that,based on the circumstances as they appeared to the Defendant, a reasonable and prudent person would not have used the same force as the Defendant used. Although the Defendant testified, from his prospective, that his actions were necessary to prevent the obviously intoxicated victim from harming himself, the Defendant, and others by careening down the bridge, the balance of the evidence demonstrated that the Defendant was not acting reasonably.
Meyer set a trial date in September. Scruggs is facing felony counts of aggravated battery and aggravated assault.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Surveillance video helped identify suspects in Doral break-ins, police say
One of two suspects accused of breaking into several vehicles and homes in a gated Doral community has been arrested, according to police. Authorities said surveillance footage played a key role in identifying the alleged burglars, who struck despite the neighborhood's private security. Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez told CBS News Miami that the suspect, arrested in the city of Miami, broke into six vehicles and used stolen credit cards at local businesses. The break-ins occurred in a gated community near Northwest 114th Avenue. Victims report stolen items, breached homes One resident, Isabella Moroso, told CBS News Miami the suspects gained entry to her home after stealing a garage key from her car. Her credit cards, wallet and her children's Nintendo Switch were among the stolen items. Another resident, Juliet Marcus, said her unlocked truck was targeted. The vehicle's alarm was triggered early Thursday morning and she later discovered bags of makeup had been taken. Police warn crimes may involve juveniles Police said the suspects were captured on camera wearing masks and checking for unlocked cars. Investigators believe the crimes may have been committed by juveniles working under the direction of others. The arrested individual is facing multiple felony charges and the investigation remains ongoing as officers work to locate the second suspect and identify additional victims. Police urge all residents to secure their vehicles and remove valuables, regardless of neighborhood security.
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
Proud Boys members file federal lawsuit over 'illegal' tactics in Jan. 6 prosecutions
Five members of the Proud Boys are suing the U.S. government and certain employees in the FBI and Department of Justice for $100 million over their Jan. 6 prosecutions. Enrique Tarrio, Zachary Rehl, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs and Dominic Pezzola allege in the lawsuit the FBI and DOJ violated their constitutional rights with their prosecution over what prosecutors said was their planning of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In a document filed in a Florida federal court and obtained by Fox News Digital, the men claim "egregious and systemic abuse of the legal system and the United States Constitution to punish and oppress political allies of President Trump, by any and all means necessary, legal, or illegal. "Through the use of evidence tampering, witness intimidation, violations of attorney-client privilege, and placing spies to report on trial strategy, the government got its fondest wish of imprisoning the J6 Defendants, the modern equivalent of placing one's enemies' heads on a spike outside the town wall as a warning to any who would think to challenge the status quo." Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. Department of Justice for comment. Four of the five men were convicted of seditious conspiracy after the attack, and Tarrio faced the harshest punishment — 22 years for planning the attack — of any of the Jan. 6 defendants, according to The Wall Street Journal. Nordean was sentenced to 18 years, Biggs was sentenced to 17 years and Rehl was sentenced to 15 years. Pezzola was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct Congress and sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, President Donald Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly all the defendants after he took office this year, including Tarrio, Rehl, Nordean, Biggs and Pezzola. All the men except Tarrio were at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, according to the Journal. Tarrio had been barred from entering Washington, D.C., because of a previous arrest, The Washington Post reported. "Now that the Plaintiffs are vindicated, free, and able to once again exercise their rights as American citizens, they bring this action against their tormentors for violations of their Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment Rights … as well as the common law tort of malicious prosecution and false imprisonment," the suit adds. Prosecutors said Pezzola was seen on video using a police riot shield to commit the first breach of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6. Prosecutors alleged the men were charged under a "novel theory of criminal conspiracy called the 'tool theory,'" according to the suit. "Despite the legal jiggery-pokery employed by the government to obscure the fact, the Plaintiffs were essentially convicted of 'stochastic terrorism,' a leftist bugbear used to describe rhetoric offensive to them that they claim provokes violent acts." The men also claimed in the lawsuit that the government didn't have probable cause to raid their homes.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
5 Proud Boys sue US government over Jan. 6 prosecutions
ORLANDO, Fla. — Five members of the Proud Boys, a far-right militant group, claim their constitutional rights were violated when they were prosecuted for their participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to a lawsuit filed Friday. The lawsuit was filed in Orlando federal court by former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Ethan Nordean and Dominic Pezzola. It seeks unspecified compensatory damages plus 6% interest and $100 million plus interest in punitive damages.
