Daniel S. Oliver
White male
Age at time: 19
Weapon: unknown
Samuel H. Shuttleworth
White male
Age at time: 21
Weapon: gun
unharmed
Defendant photo: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
Case type:
Domestic argument
Location:
Their Home
Initiator:
Unclear
Witnesses:
No
Case year:
2012
Location details: In their shared apartment in Brandon, Hillsborough County, on Sept. 02, 2012
What happened: Deputies responded to a neighbor's 911 call reporting fight had broken out between two roommates. Daniel Oliver was killed by a single gunshot to the chest. Both had criminal records, access to guns in their home and there were no witnesses. Samuel Shuttleworth said they were both armed and Oliver had repeatedly attacked him before the shooting occurred. Shuttleworth claimed he only acted in self defense when he fired his shotgun.
The outcome: The Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office cited Stand Your Ground in their decision not to file charges. They said there was no evidence to refute Shuttleworth's claim of self defense. Felicia Kimmel, Oliver's mother was devastated by the news that Shuttleworth would not face a jury for shooting her son and thinks the Stand Your Ground law encourages killing and is unfair to victims.
Investigating agency: Hillsborough County Sheriff
Case decision made by: Prosecutor
Trayvon Martin’s death became controversial because circumstances leading up to the shooting cast doubt on who was to blame. The Tampa Bay Times reviewed other “stand your ground” cases for similar circumstances. The Times relied on available information, some of which may not tell the whole story. When the situation was unclear, that was noted.
| Yes | No | Unclear/ disputed |
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|---|---|---|---|
Did the victim initiate the confrontation? |
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Was the victim armed? |
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Was the victim committing a crime that led to the confrontation? |
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Did the defendant pursue the victim? |
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Could the defendant have retreated to avoid the conflict? |
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Was the defendant on his or her property? |
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Did someone witness the attack? |
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Was there physical evidence? |
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Case last updated: Oct. 22, 2012
