A new trial has been withdrawn for a Jacksonville man convicted of a shootout that killed two people and hurt a baby.
This all started in August 2011, when now-25-year-old Theodist Richardson got in a fight with Kenneth Curry. Prosecutors say Richardson had previously pistol whipped Curry in an argument over drugs, and that poured over in to a shooting at apartments on Prince Street.
Richardson was convicted in August 2014 of shooting 19 times- killing Curry, hitting a 19-year-old bystander who later died, and injuring a 13-month-old in the head. He got a sentence of life plus 190 years for first degree murder, second degree murder, attempted first degree murder, six counts of attempted second degree murder, and shooting or throwing a deadly missile.
In December 2015, the First District Court of Appeals reversed the convictions and ordered a new trial. The ruling was based on the jury instructions in Richardson's trial, which included that Richardson needed to have "exhausted every reasonable means to escape the danger". The Appeals Court says that conflicts with "the statutory right to stand one's ground".
Since that time, the Florida Supreme Court has reversed a case on which the Appeals Court ruling was based. That has led the Appeals Court to now withdrawn the December ruling and affirm Richardson’s convictions and sentence.