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| Marissa Alexander |
On August 1, 2010, Alexander was working for a payroll software company. She was estranged from her husband, Rico Gray, and had a restraining order against him, even though they'd had a baby together just nine days before. Thinking he was gone, she went to their former home to retrieve the rest of her clothes.
Rico Gray was there and an argument ensued. Marissa said she feared for her life when she went out to her vehicle and retrieved the gun she legally owned. She came back inside and ended up firing a shot into the wall, which ricocheted into the ceiling.
Rico Gray was there and an argument ensued. Marissa said she feared for her life when she went out to her vehicle and retrieved the gun she legally owned. She came back inside and ended up firing a shot into the wall, which ricocheted into the ceiling.
She states that she was assaulted, shoved, strangled, and held against her will by her husband as she begged him to let her leave. She alleged that Rico Gray charged toward her screaming, “Bitch, I will kill you!” prompting Alexander to raise her weapon and fire into the ceiling.
Rico Gray in a deposition to Police made on November 22, 2010, stated: "I was in a rage. I called her a whore and bitch and . . . I told her, you know, I used to always tell her that, if I can’t have you, nobody going to have you. It was not the first time of ever saying it to her.”
She was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and Florida has a mandatory sentence for someone who is convicted of this crime.
She tried to invoke Florida's "stand your ground" law and rejected plea deals that
could have gotten her a much shorter sentence.
In Florida:
If you show a gun in the commission of certain felonies, you get 10 years in prison, automatically.
If you fire a gun in the commission of certain felonies, you get 20 years in prison, automatically.
Shoot and wound someone and it's 25 years to life.
Rico Gray in a deposition to Police made on November 22, 2010, stated: "I was in a rage. I called her a whore and bitch and . . . I told her, you know, I used to always tell her that, if I can’t have you, nobody going to have you. It was not the first time of ever saying it to her.”
She was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and Florida has a mandatory sentence for someone who is convicted of this crime.
She tried to invoke Florida's "stand your ground" law and rejected plea deals that
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| Rico Gray |
In Florida:
If you show a gun in the commission of certain felonies, you get 10 years in prison, automatically.
If you fire a gun in the commission of certain felonies, you get 20 years in prison, automatically.
Shoot and wound someone and it's 25 years to life.
Judges in Florida are stripped of discretion in sentencing.
No state should invoke laws that prohibit discretion in sentencing. Circumstances alter cases and every judge should have some leeway in sentencing. That's why we have judges. If everything was cut and dried, a computer could determine your sentence, which pretty much sounds like what is happening in Florida today.
Marissa has a master's degree. She is the mother of a toddler and 11 year old twins.
Only Marissa Alexander and Rico Gray know what the dynamic was between these two at the time of this incident. No one really knows what goes on behind closed doors with a couple.
However, if Marissa Alexander had wanted to kill Rico Gray, the bullet would not have hit the ceiling.
She should NOT be sentenced to 20 years in prison for her actions during the 2010 incident in the garage.
This sentence is unjust and over-reactive and inappropriate.
Marissa isn't a saint but she isn't a murderer either.
Pray for justice for Marissa. Amen.
Marissa has a master's degree. She is the mother of a toddler and 11 year old twins.
Only Marissa Alexander and Rico Gray know what the dynamic was between these two at the time of this incident. No one really knows what goes on behind closed doors with a couple.
However, if Marissa Alexander had wanted to kill Rico Gray, the bullet would not have hit the ceiling.
She should NOT be sentenced to 20 years in prison for her actions during the 2010 incident in the garage.
This sentence is unjust and over-reactive and inappropriate.
Marissa isn't a saint but she isn't a murderer either.
Pray for justice for Marissa. Amen.
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