A white Florida man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black father of four, outside a convenience store.
49-year-old Michael Drejka fatally shot Markeis McGlockton, 28, outside of a Clearwater convenience store in July 2018.
Markeis McGlockton went inside of the store with his 5-year-old son to buy drinks. Drejka, who is NOT a police officer, approached McGlockton’s vehicle to see if it had the correct decal for a handicapped space and ended up getting into a verbal argument with McGlockton’s girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, who was sitting in the car with two of their kids.
Surveillance video shows McGlockton leaving the store, confronting Drejka, and pushing him to the ground. Seconds later, Drejka pulls out a gun and shoots McGlockton as he backs away.
McGlockton was unarmed, and video surveillance and autopsy results determined that he was turning away from Drejka when he was shot.
Drejka was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in August and was facing up to 30 years in prison. The hearing held Thursday determined he would only be sentenced to 20 years.
Drejka told police that he was irritated by people who illegally park in handicapped spots. Due to him possessing a concealed weapons permit, he was not initially arrested because of Florida’s “stand your ground” law. Almost a month later, local prosecutors charged Drejka with manslaughter following national outcry and protests.
Drejka agreed to pay $550 in court costs and $5,000 in funeral costs to the McGlockton family during sentencing.
