Daniel Amore
Black male
Age at time: 18
Weapon: unarmed
Kunta Grant
Black male
Age at time: 31
Weapon: knife
Case type:
Domestic dispute
Location:
Defendant's Home
Initiator:
Victim
Witnesses:
Yes
Case year:
2008
Location details: In the doorway of the home shared by the defendant and the victim in Melbourne, Brevard County, on Dec. 30, 2008
What happened: Kunta Grant called 911 to report an altercation with a teenager for whom he was legal guardian. Grant was heard on the call saying, "I'm going to kill you." Police arrived minutes later to find the victim, Daniel Amore, dead in the doorway of the home. Amore had been stabbed once in the chest with a kitchen knife. Grant said Amore, 18, was being disrespectful and he told the boy to leave the house. Grant said Amore hit him in the mouth, then walked out to the carport and smashed a window. The two men then faced off in the doorway, and Grant said Amore punched him once again. Grant then stabbed the teen, killing him. The victim's brother, who was at home during the killing, said the two men fought all the time. "I can't believe it went that far," he said. Daniel Amore had been arrested twice before on charges of battery against Grant. The victim and his brother lived with Grant; their mother had recently been trying to get them to relocate to live with her in Boston.
The outcome: Grant was charged with second-degree murder and spent almost a year in jail. A judge upheld his "stand your ground" defense in 2009, saying he found Grant to be a credible witness and that the victim, who had turned 18, was no longer a lawful resident at Grant's home.
Investigating agency: Melbourne Police Department
Case decision made by: Judge
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 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Did the victim initiate the confrontation? |
 |
||
Was the victim armed? |
|
||
Was the victim committing a crime that led to the confrontation? |
|
||
Did the defendant pursue the victim? |
|
||
Could the defendant have retreated to avoid the conflict? |
|
||
Was the defendant on his or her property? |
|
||
Did someone witness the attack? |
|
||
Was there physical evidence? |
|
Source: Brevard County Circuit Court, Oct. 16, 2009.
Source: Florida Today, Aug. 1, 2010.
Source: Melbourne Police Department, Dec. 30, 2008.
Source: WESH, Dec. 31, 2008. Link to original source
Click here for more information about how we compiled these cases. Know of something we missed or have a photo to share? Submit a case here.
Case last updated: July 3, 2012
