Protestors seek justice after Manatee judge dismisses case under 'Stand Your Ground' law
More than two dozen people gathered outside the Manatee County Clerk of Court's Office Monday to protest a judge's decision to dismiss a case against a man accused of fatally shooting a 49-year-old Bradenton man after a car crash.
Organizers with the Party for Socialism and Liberation Tampa Bay Chapter hosted the press conference seven days after Manatee County Circuit Court Judge Frederick Mercurio released his order dismissing the case against Jordan Glanz based under Florida's Stand Your Ground law.
Glanz, 28, was arrested in July 2024 in connection to a car crash which turned into a fatal altercation between Glanz and the second driver, Deondrick Anderson.
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Glanz has claimed he fired his gun in self-defense in fear for his life after Anderson began punching him through his truck's window, according to court records.
A probable cause affidavit states Glanz had stopped by the Oneco Rose bar to meet his girlfriend on July 10, 2024. As Glanz pulled away from a drive-thru window at an intersection, Anderson's car drove forward and hit Glanz's truck causing minor damage.
Anderson stopped his car in the middle of the road, got out and approached Glanz's window, according to the affidavit. Anderson didn't want to involve police and preferred to exchange insurance information with Glanz, the affidavit states.
Witnesses told investigators they saw Glanz's girlfriend approach the truck and that she became belligerent before climbing into the truck. A witness who was behind Anderson at the time of the argument told police she saw Glanz purposely spit in Anderson's face, according to the affidavit.
Punches were exchanged before Glanz fired one shot at Anderson, hitting him in the abdomen. Glanz then drove to his home where he called police.
Glanz was initially charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The charge was later upgraded to second-degree murder following Anderson's death.
Glanz's defense filed a motion to dismiss in December 2024 under Florida's Stand Your Ground law claiming Glanz acted in self-defense and fired the gun out of fear for his and his girlfriend's lives.
Following a hearing in May, Mercurio sided with the defense. In his order, Mercurio said that even though he found that Glanz had a duty to retreat, there was no reasonable opportunity for him to do so.
Mercurio explained given how quickly the situation escalated, the fact that Anderson's car was parked in the middle of the street impeding Glanz's ability to drive away, the crowd of people around Glanz's truck and a car behind Glanz stopping him from backing up, the prosecution failed to demonstrate that Glanz could have reasonably retreated from the fight once it begun.
Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Voices of Florida, the Manasota Re-entry Program and the Florida chapter of Black Lives Matter Grassroots said on Monday that they feel the justice system continues to fail them.
'Enough is enough,' said Deanna Joseph, founder of the Florida chapter of BLM Grassroots. 'We stand 10-toed style, demanding that this case be reexamined, demanding that the Anderson family receive full accountability to the fullest extent of the law.'
Joseph's family founded BLM Grassroots after her 14-year-old son, Andrew Joseph III, was killed in Tampa in 2014. Since then, the chapter has stood by other parents who have lost their children.
The activists said their advocacy and holding people in power accountable for their actions has become their life's work.
"There is a problem in America. There is a problem in this state when Stand Your Ground can be misconstrued and applied to this situation and to this case," Joseph said.
Tracey Washington, local activist and mother of Breonte Johnson-Davis who was killed after being tased by a Palmetto police officer, demanded more transparency by officials in power. She encouraged the community to use their power as voters to hold those in positions of authority accountable.
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Angela Anderson once described herself as being a fearless lioness.
That all changed almost a year ago when she got the call that her son, Deondrick "Dee" Anderson, had been shot.
For Angela Anderson, it's like that phone call happened yesterday. She recalled how after several surgeries, the family thought Dee was out of danger and that he would pull through. Soon after returning home, the family learned he had internal bleeding.
Deondrick Anderson died on July 21 — 10 days after he was shot.
Born and raised in Bradenton, Deondrick Anderson went to Manatee County High School, graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor's degree in social work and later an master's in business from Florida International University.
A sports and news buff, he spent time with Pop Warner football where he helped to make sure under-privileged kids could participate.
He was a beloved son, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and dear friend to many, Angela Anderson said. He was also a teacher who loved helping children in his community. Two weeks before he'd been shot, her son had received his teaching certificate so he could teach anywhere in Florida, Angela Anderson said.
A member of the Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Deondrick Anderson regularly helped the homeless population, often stopping by into the camps in Manatee County to feed and care for them. Angela Anderson recalled one time her son brought one homeless gentleman home with him and helped him get his life back on track.
The 49-year-old also worked at AMIkids, a nonprofit that empowers youth by providing services for them to develop skills, confidence and achieve their goals. There he acted as a teacher, mentor, bus driver and social worker, often taking the kids on expeditions and teaching them life skills.
'I could go on and on and on and on about my Dee, but that won't bring him back,' Angela Anderson said. 'Jordan, you took my boy's life and a man that was loved by many, including his family and friends.'
The activists are demanding that the State Attorney's Office file an appeal of Mercurio's decision. The group doesn't want the case to be decided solely by the judge. Instead, they are demanding a full investigation and a trial with a jury so that justice can be brought to Anderson's family.
Angela Anderson is ready to fight for her son's justice.
'He was my child, and that lioness spirit, that fearless Victoria Barkley spirit, is coming back,' Angela Anderson said. 'I'm going to put on my fighting armor, and I'm going to fight for justice for my Deondrick Anderson.'
Gabriela Szymanowska covers the criminal justice, courts and legal system for the Herald-Tribune. Reach out with a news tip to gszymanowska@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Mother: Justice denied as case dismissed in fatal Bradenton shooting
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