Florida Woman Found Guilty of Manslaughter For Shooting Black Neighbor

Susan Lorincz, the Florida woman who fatally shot her neighbor Ajike “AJ” Owens in June 2023, has been found guilty of first-degree felony manslaughter. The verdict was delivered on Friday.

As previously reported, the incident occurred when Lorincz shot Owens through a locked door while Owens was attempting to address a dispute regarding her children playing near Lorincz’s property. At the time, Owens’s 10-year-old son was present. Following the shooting, Lorincz was later arrested and charged with manslaughter with a firearm, to which she pleaded not guilty.

The trial examined the state’s Stand Your Ground law, which permits individuals to use deadly force in self-defense under certain circumstances. The jury considered whether Lorincz’s actions were justified under these controversial self-defense laws. However, during closing arguments, prosecutor Rich Buxman emphasized, “It wasn’t an accidental situation. It wasn’t a situation where she slipped and the gun accidentally went off and shot the door and struck Ms. Owens. That’s not what we have here. She intentionally fired it. There’s no doubt that the defendant intentionally committed an act, which caused the death of Ajike Owens.” Buxman added that Lorincz acted with “utter disregard for the life of others.”

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Meanwhile, defense attorney Amanda Sizemore argued that Lorincz had the right to defend herself against perceived imminent danger, stating, “She has no duty to retreat and can stand her ground in her dwelling if faced with such danger.”

The case has attracted national attention, particularly due to the delay in Lorincz’s arrest. She now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, although no sentencing date has been set.

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