William Woodward Claim For Stand Your Ground Defense Denied By Judge
By Space Coast Daily // May 1, 2015
case now goes to jury trial
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – William Woodward’s claim for a Stand Your Ground defense has been denied by a Brevard County Judge.
Woodward, who faces the death penalty for two counts of pre-meditated murder in connection with a Labor Day 2012 shooting, claimed he had a right to defend himself under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law during the week-long hearing at the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Justice Center in Viera.
Prosecutors argued against Woodward’s claim for a Stand Your Ground defense saying that the victims were unarmed when he shot them multiple times, and that Woodward pre-planned the attack.
The case will now be tried and a jury will decide Woodward’s fate.
Woodward, 46, shot and killed Gary Hembree and Roger Picior, and severely wounded Bruce Timothy Blake in the incident that happened at 1950 Smith Drive in Titusville.
Hembree, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene and Picior, 44, died two days later of his wounds.
This hearing began Monday, and included testimony by Woodward on Thursday.
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ABOVE MAP: William Woodward, 46, shot and killed Gary Hembree and Roger Picior, and severely wounded Bruce Timothy Blake in the incident that happened at 1950 Smith Drive in Titusville.
