Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 1-19-18

Local
Judge Denies ‘Stand Your Ground’ Defense In Murder Case
Armwood Athlete To
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
A Tampa judge denied the “Stand Your Ground” de- fense to a man arrested for murder earlier this week. The defendant had claimed he killed another man in self- defense.
Since Circuit Judge Kimberly Fernandez is- sued the order denying the claim, attorneys representing Reginald Cortez Bow- man, IV, will either go to trial or attempt to negotiate a plea bargain with the Hills- borough County State Attor- ney’s Office. His trial has been set to begin next month.
The murder of 18-year- old Lyfe Coleman occurred shortly after midnight on January 1, 2015. It was the first homicide of the New Year the Tampa Police De- partment investigated.
Coleman was shot in his front yard and died at a local hospital. The unidentified suspect fled the scene.
Detectives investigating the case arrested Bowman on November 30, 2016, nearly two years after the murder.
In court, Bowman, 22,
Of Tomorrow’ On Sunday
LYFE COLEMAN
appeared at a hearing where he admitted shooting Cole- man, but claimed he acted in self-defense. He was charged with second-degree murder.
Bowman testified that Coleman had contacted him through Facebook about the purchase of a gun. The sale price of the gun was $150.
Bowman went to Cole- man’s house that night and said the two of them became engaged in an argument that led to a physical confronta- tion.
He further said both men fell to the ground and the gun was thrown onto the front lawn. Bowman stated he grabbed the gun, looked back
REGINALD BOWMAN ... Charged with murder
and saw Coleman charging at him. He said he pointed the gun and fired once, but Coleman kept coming and he fired a second time. He claimed he was in fear of his life when he shot Coleman.
Bowman said he ran after firing the gun, never knowing if he had hit Cole- man.
But witnesses discounted Bowman’s account of the story.
An Armwood High School athlete will appear in the highlight tapes of “Sports Stars of Tomorrow” when it airs on Sunday, January 21, 2018.
Warren Thompson
will be featured in highlights on the show at 10:30 a. m., on WTVT-FOX, Channel 13.
“Sports Stars of Tomor- row” is a nationally syndi- cated show that goes around the country featuring the best high school athletes in America. It is hosted by Charles Davis, who foot- ball fans may recognize from the NFL Network, Fox Sports, and the EA Sports
WARREN THOMPSON
Madden video games. Sports Stars of Tomor-
row” has made several visits to Tampa doing stories on a variety of athletes.
Appear On ‘Sports Stars
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 13-A