Dismissal of Charges for Miami-Dade Officers Involved in 2019 Shooting: Understanding Florida's Stand Your Ground Law
Three former Miami-Dade officers involved in a 2019 shooting that resulted in the deaths of two civilians had their cases dismissed by a Broward County circuit judge. The dismissal was based on Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. The orders were issued on Monday afternoon. The officers, Rodolfo Mirabal, Richard Santiesteban, and Leslie Lee, were facing charges related to the incident that occurred on December 5, 2019. The incident began with the hijacking of a UPS truck during a jewelry heist in Coral Gables, leading to a police chase that culminated in a shootout on Miramar Parkway during rush hour. The shootout resulted in the deaths of UPS driver Frank Ordonez and innocent bystander Richard Cutshaw.