ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A judge in St. Johns County has dismissed the manslaughter charge against Luis Casado in the May 2021 shooting death of Adam Amoia in St. Augustine, according to a court document obtained Friday by News4JAX.
Judge R. Lee Smith ruled that Casado acted in self-defense under Florida’s “stand your ground” law. Casado still faces a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. There’s a hearing in the case scheduled for Jan. 12.
According to the ruling, the judge found that the immunity was warranted based on the three concepts of stand your ground. It states that Casado was in a public place and was not engaged in criminal activity.
Smith’s ruling says, “...the Defendant was dazed and disoriented by the ongoing and persistent attack,” and that he kept backing away. It adds, “There was no break in the attack, and without his glasses and being dazed from the impact of the blows, there was no opportunity for the Defendant to regain his orientation and perception. was no break in the attack, and without his glasses and being dazed from the impact of the blows, there was no opportunity for the Defendant to regain his orientation and perception.”
Smith found that the state “...failed to meet its burden by clear and convincing evidence that the Defendant’s use of force was unreasonable.”
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Casado fatally shot Amoia outside the Dos Gatos bar in Downtown St. Augustine, which is now closed.
The shooting was captured on surveillance video from the bar and neighboring businesses, and previously in court, video from before, during and after the moment Casado shot and killed Amoia was shown.
Some points from the state to deny immunity from prosecution were that Casado would have been justified in using any other force, but not pulling a gun and shooting seven times. The state argued that a reasonable person wouldn’t think that being slapped called for deadly force, and that Casado had time to realize that Amoia was no longer a threat.
Some of the defense’s points were when Casado started shooting, Amoia was still swinging at him. They said Casado was in fear, panicked and was in survival mode, so he shot his gun as fast as he could, and that it’s possible Casado was thinking more of the men around him that could’ve attacked.