A white woman from Central Florida who fatally shot her Black neighbor during an argument last year was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury on Friday.
An all-white jury convicted Susan L Lorincz, 60, guilty of manslaughter in the death of 35-year-old Ajike “AJ” Owens, a single mother of four, after deliberating for just two hours over a four-day trial. Lorincz remained still while the verdict was read in the courtroom.
On June 2, 2023, Owens’ children were playing in a field near Lorincz’s home in Ocala, where both women lived. According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Lorincz began an altercation with the children before throwing a pair of skates at them, striking Owens’ 10-year-old son on the toe.
Owen’s 12-year-old son then confronted the woman, who opened the door and struck at him with her umbrella. The children then returned home to inform their mother what had transpired.
The women had a long-running conflict over Owens’ children playing outside. Lorincz had previously phoned police, alleging Owens tossed a “no trespassing” sign at her in February 2022. Lorincz called police again in April 2023, this time claiming Owens had regularly opened her mailbox over 10 days. No arrests occurred as a result of the calls.
However, in June, Owens marched over to Lorincz’s house, knocked on her door, and demanded that she step outside. Lorincz, using a.380-caliber handgun, fired one shot through the door, striking Owens in the upper chest. The mother’s 10-year-old son was standing beside her at the time.
When deputies got to Lorincz’s residence, they discovered Owens in front of the door with a gunshot wound. Authorities assisted until emergency services carried her to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, where she died of her injuries.
Lorincz claimed during the incident and the trial that she acted in self-defense because she was afraid for her life. In a message to Owens’ family, she stated, “I am deeply sorry for your loss. I was frightened that your mother was going to kill me. “I shot out of fear.”
Authorities were initially unable to arrest her as they investigated whether Florida’s “stand your ground” legislation applied to the situation. In rare cases, the law authorizes people to use deadly force on their land to defend themselves against violent crimes.
Owens was unarmed at the time. Several interviews, including forensic examinations with Owens’ children, proved that the statute would not apply. Lorincz was arrested on June 6, 2023, and accused of manslaughter using a firearm. Officials stated that they did not have sufficient evidence to charge her with murder.
Lorincz faces up to thirty years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be arranged for a later date. Lorincz will be held in custody without bond until then.
As the hearings came to an end, some members of Owens’ family broke down in tears. When Lorincz exited the courtroom, Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, shouted, “Oh God.” “Thank you, Jesus.”
Dias told reporters, “She set out to cause harm.” She set out to kill. This is exactly what she did…”She has no regard for any kind of human life.”
The case drew national attention due to the delay in Lorincz’s arrest, which highlighted “stand your ground” laws after multiple incidences of residents shooting at unarmed people who entered their land.
Ben Crump, a human rights attorney, defended Owens’ family following the tragedy and attacked rules such as the one that kept Lorincz on the streets for several days after the woman died.
“While we are relieved that the woman responsible for the tragic killing of Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens has been arrested, we are no less concerned that accountability has taken this long because archaic laws like ‘stand your ground’ exist,” according to him.
“What does it say when a person can shoot and kill an unarmed mother in the presence of her young children, and not be immediately taken into custody, questioned, and charged?”
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