Fla. man found guilty of murder in shooting over loud music

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida jury found Michael Dunn, a middle-aged white man, guilty of first-degree murder on Wednesday in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in an argument over loud rap music.

Dunn, 47, a software engineer, testified he thought he was defending himself from an armed threat when he fired 10 rounds at an SUV carrying Jordan Davis, 17, and three other black teens at a Jacksonville gas station parking lot. Dunn and the teenagers had argued about the loud music coming from the SUV.

The jury, composed of 10 whites and two blacks, took about five hours to reach Wednesday’s verdict. In a February trial, a jury deadlocked on charge in Davis’ death after four days but convicted Dunn on three counts of attempted murder for firing at the three surviving teens in the vehicle.

Dunn testified he was sure he saw a gun as a teenager appeared to emerge from the SUV making verbal threats against his life. Davis was unarmed, prosecutors said, and no weapon was found in the youths’ vehicle.

During the weeklong retrial, prosecutors argued that Dunn’s actions went far beyond self-defense.

Davis was struck by three bullets while leaning away from the gunfire, an expert testified during the trial. Dunn faced intense questioning as to why he did not call 911, which he blamed on fear and shock.

The trial has drawn comparisons to the case of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murder in Florida last year in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, another unarmed black 17-year-old. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, said he fired in self-defense.

Under Florida law, Dunn will be sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of Davis, plus 60 years in jail for his February convictions.