Bruno Berrio
Hispanic male
Age at time: 40
Weapon: unarmed
Timothy Pyke
White male
Age at time: 45
Weapon: unarmed
Ernesto Che Vino
Hispanic male
Age at time: 40
Weapon: gun
Defendant photo: Miami-Dade Police Department, 2009
Case type:
Unprovoked attack
Location:
Defendant's Property
Initiator:
Defendant
Witnesses:
No
Case year:
2009
Location details: In defendant's fenced in yard in the Jones Fishing Camp in Hialeah, Miami-Dade County, on March 09, 2009
What happened: Ernesto Che Vino threatened two Florida Power and Light workers with a rifle, slapped the helmet off one of them and fired a warning shot into the air after they showed up around 11 a.m. to collect unpaid bills. The workers were in uniform and tried to call Vino, but eventually used a ladder to climb over his fence to knock on the door. He appeared, rifle in hand and forced the men off his property, firing his gun as they scrambled back over the fence. A judge sided with Vino over prosecutors' objections.
The outcome: Circuit Judge John W. Thornton Jr. ruled that he must toss out two counts of armed assault and one count of improper exhibition of a firearm. He let stand a misdemeanor charge of firing the rifle in public because it was fired after Vino recognized the men as power company employees.
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? |
 |
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Was the victim armed? |
|
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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: Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court, Miami-Dade County, Nov. 16, 2010.
Source: Sun Sentinel, Nov. 16, 2010. Link to original source
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Case last updated: July 3, 2012
