Drejka, 47, fatally shot father-of-three McGlockton during an argument over a handicap spot in Clearwater, Fla., on July 19
He was charged with manslaughter after the State Attorney decided to press charges
Pinellas County Sheriff, Bob Gualtieri, initially had declined to arrest Drejka on the basis of the Florida’s controversial ‘Stand Your Ground’ law
The sheriff’s office claimed the killer was ONLY defending himself after feeling threatened
McGlockton was shot dead by Drejka outside a store following a dispute about a disabled parking spot
He stepped out of the store with his son, 5, to find Drejka harassing his partner and children, including an infant
After an exchange of words McGlockton had shoved Drejka to the ground before the latter then pulled out his handgun and fired
Detectives revealed on Monday that Drejka had threatened three other drivers previously with a gun in road rage disputes
Judge told Drejka if he posts bail, he must surrender all of his guns, wear ankle monitor and not travel outside the county
Michael Drejka [left], was arrested on Monday on manslaughter charges over the shooting death of Markeis McGlockton [right] in Clearwater, Fla., on July 19
Judge Joseph Bulone, sitting in the Pinellas County court on Tuesday told 48-year-old Drejka he must surrender all of his guns to the sheriff, wear an ankle monitor and not leave the county, if and when he posts bail.
Appeareing in court from the county jail via video link, Drejka replied that he did not have the money to hire a private attorney, which means a public defender will be appointed.
Dhe had been arrested on Monday over the death of 28-year-old Markeis McGlockton in Clearwater on July 19.
Michael Drejka makes his first appearance at the Pinellas Courthouse in Clearwater, Florida where he’s facing manslaughter charges, from the county jail via video link, on Tuesday
Kelly drove away, but his boss told Moffett that Drejka later called, telling him ‘that he was lucky he didn’t blow his employee’s head off.’
In 2012, other road users involved in two separate road-rage confrontations with Drejka said he pointed a gun at them.
McGlockton’s girlfriend Brittany Jacobs who witnessed the shooting and father Michael McGlockton were on hand for first appearance Tuesday
Moffet said that in one of the cases, 18-year-old Tyler Smith was driving in front of Drejka’s truck when he stopped at a yellow light, which allegedly enraged Drejka and prompted him to brandish a black gun at the teenager, and later follow him.
Smith declined to press charges.
In another incident that year, a woman told police that Drejka pointed a gun at her and the occupants of her car.
When police interviewed the suspect, Drejka denied pointing a gun at the other vehicle, but said he honked at the motorist because she was driving too slow through a school zone.
Judge Joseph Bulone kept bond at $100,000 for Drejka and said that if the suspect posts bail, he must surrender all of his guns to the sheriff
Drejka claimed he missed a turn, but the trooper who responded to the scene wrote in his report that based on the evidence, it did not appear like the motorist had attempted to turn before the crash, and Drejka was cited for stopping or sudden decrease in speed without signaling.
On July 19, Markeis McGlockton’s girlfriend, Britany Jacobs, was seated in the couple’s car with two of their children, ages 3 years and 4 months, when she said Drejka confronted her for being parked in a handicapped-accessible space.
McGlockton had gone into the store with the couple’s 5-year-old son, also named Markeis.
Jacobs said Drejka yelled at her to move the ‘f**king car’.
After exiting the store and seeing the argument, McGlockton shoved Drejka to the ground before Drejka pulled out his handgun seconds later and fired.
Video showed McGlockton leaving the store and shoving Drejka to the ground. Seconds later, Drejka pulls a handgun and shoots McGlockton as he backs away. McGlockton then runs back into the store clutching his chest. Witnesses said he collapsed in front of his young son, who was waiting inside.
McGlockton’s partner, Brittany Jacobs [center], said after the brief hearing: ‘I can tell my kids now that the police got the bad man’
‘I can tell my kids now that the police got the bad man,’ McGlockton’s girlfriend Jacobs said, following the brief bond hearing. She was one of several family members who attended. ‘I’m still answering their questions about when daddy is going to wake up. And all I can tell them is, daddy is resting right now.’
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri originally declined to press charges against Drejka for the killing of McGlockton.
The shooter was protected by Florida’s stand-your-ground law. Gaultieri said a day after the shooting.
Passing the case to prosecutors for a final decision, sheriff Gualtieri stood by his decision not to arrest Drejka, insisting the man was defending himself and had claimed he was in fear for his life.
After a massive public backlash with several civil rights groups joining the family in demanding jusstice, holding protests and demanding Drejka be charged. The State Attorney’s office reviewed the case and decided to pursue charges against Drejka.
‘The charges are only one step in this journey to get justice for the unbelievable killing of Markeis McGlockton in front of his children,’ said Benjamin Crump, the family’s attorney. ‘They understand when you look at the history of the state of Florida and stand your ground that this doesn’t equal a conviction.
‘All of America is watching Clearwater, Florida to see if there will be equal justice for Markeis McGlockton … If the facts were in reverse, nobody would doubt what the outcome would be.’ Following the State Attorney’s decision, Sheriff Gualtieri said in a statement: ‘I support the State Attorney’s decision and will have no further comment as the case continues to work its way through the criminal justice system.’
Michael Drejka [kneeling] shot Markeis McGlockton [left, standing] outside a store following a dispute about a parking spot.
Under the law, people are allowed to use deadly force if they believe they are in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and have no obligation to retreat.
‘I didn’t make the law, and I do not do what people want because of outrage,’ sheriff Gualtieri said at the time. ‘If you’re outraged by the law and don’t like the law, then change it.’
Under a change made by the Florida state Legislature in 2017, if a suspect raises a stand-your-ground defense, prosecutors must prove the law doesn’t apply.
The case drew hundreds to a rally earlier this month in Clearwater.
McGlockton’s family, who had been pushing for charges to be filed against Drejka, released a statement on Monday saying the update provided a small measure of comfort.
‘While this decision cannot bring back our partner, our son, our father, we take solace in knowing our voices are being heard as we work for justice,’ they said.
‘This man killed Markeis in cold blood, without a second thought about the devastating impact his actions would have on our family, but this charge gives us a measure of hope that the truth will win and justice will prevail in the end.’
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri recently stood by his decision not to arrest Drejka, saying the man was defending himself and had been in fear for his life
‘No law should be able to protect somebody to the point that they kill somebody on the street and they can lay in the bed the same night,’ McGlockton said.
‘To me and my family, that’s a slap in the face. [Drejka] would’ve thought twice before he pulled the trigger. With the law, he knew that he could hide behind that.’
‘He didn’t have to pull that trigger. But because of ‘stand your ground,’ this is what happens.’
McGlockton said it is his son who was defending himself and his family against a threat.
‘Every man raises his kid to be that ultimate man for his family,’ McGlockton said. ‘That’s exactly what he was doing, standing up for his family. I’m so proud of him because he did exactly what I taught him to do.’
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