Raymond Mohlman
White male
Age at time: 49
Weapon: unarmed
Matthew Vittum
White male
Age at time: 43
Weapon: unarmed
Victim photo: Florida Department of Corrections
Michael Monahan
White male
Age at time: 65
Weapon: gun
Case type:
Dispute over money/property
Location:
Defendant's Boat
Initiator:
Unclear
Witnesses:
No
Case year:
2011
Location details: On the defendant's boat in Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, on April 03, 2011
What happened: Michael Monahan, a disabled veteran, shot and killed two men who cornered him in the cabin of his sailboat during an argument. Monahan told police the men had tried to remove him from the sailboat, which he said he had previously bought from one of the men, Raymond "Ramie" Mohlman. Mohlman was angry because Monahan had allowed the boat to be ticketed while still registered in Mohlman's name. Mohlman and the other victim, Matthew Vittum, had both been drinking. Prosecutors argued that neither victim was armed when boarding the boat and that neither had touched the shooter during the argument. Legally, Mohlman still owned the boat at the time.
The outcome: Judge dismissed the two, first-degree murder charges.
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? |
|
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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? |
|
Source: Sun Sentinel, Sept. 12, 2011. Link to original source
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Case last updated: July 3, 2012
