"A Broward judge is giving lawyers two-and-a-half weeks to submit their "stand your ground" arguments for the three remaining defendants charged with manslaughter in the 2019 death of a UPS driver kidnapped by armed robbers in Miramar. Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra ruled last year that Jose Mateo should not be subject to prosecution because he was acting lawfully in the belief that his use of force was necessary to end a threat caused by two robber-kidnappers who instigated the confrontation."
"The kidnappers, Lamar Alexander and Ronnie Jerome Hill, died in the shootout, but so did their victim, UPS driver Frank Ordoñez, 27, and Richard Cutshaw, 70, a motorist in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mateo and fellow Miami-Dade Police Officers Rodolfo Mirabal, Richard Santiesteban and Leslie Lee were charged with manslaughter in Ordoñez's death. Mirabal is also charged with manslaughter in Cutshaw's death. The officers are using the same argument as Mateo, hoping for the same result."
"Lee said he opened fire to protect Ordoñez and other civilians who might be in harm's way. Alexander and Hill kidnapped Ordoñez after robbing a Coral Gables jewelry store on Dec. 5, 2019. They led police on a chase that ended at a crowded Miramar intersection. Prosecutor Chuck Morton argued at Mateo's stand-your-ground hearing that the officers used a reckless and disproportionate amount of force in the confrontation, resulting in avoidable loss of life."
A Broward judge set a deadline for lawyers to submit stand-your-ground arguments for three remaining defendants charged with manslaughter in a 2019 Miramar shooting. A prior ruling found Jose Mateo acted lawfully believing his use of force was necessary to end a threat from two robber-kidnappers. The kidnappers died in the shootout, along with UPS driver Frank Ordoñez and motorist Richard Cutshaw. Officers Jose Mateo, Rodolfo Mirabal, Richard Santiesteban and Leslie Lee face manslaughter charges; Mirabal also faces a charge in Cutshaw's death. Officers contend their actions sought to protect civilians and end the threat.
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