Motion to dismiss granted after ‘Stand your ground’ hearing in 2021 St. Augustine shooting

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Action News Jax has learned a judge has decided that a deadly St. Augustine shooting was justified, court documents show.

On Friday, Circuit Judge R. Lee Smith granted Luis Casado’s “Amended Motion to Dismiss for Statutory Immunity from Prosecution.”

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In the order granting Casado’s motion, Smith noted that the defendant made a sufficient showing under the statute and the prosecution could not meet its burden.

Prosecutors and the attorney for Casado wrapped up their arguments in a “Stand your ground” hearing in November.

In 2021, 37-year-old Adam Amoia was shot and killed by Casado after a fight outside Dos Gatos in St. Augustine.

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Casado’s attorneys replayed that night in court. They said Casado approached a group of men who had all been drinking. They said Amoia became aggressive.

“He figured out he [Casado] doesn’t know anybody. He’s not the same as us. He doesn’t look like us. He doesn’t dress like us,” Casado’s attorney said. He added that Amoia then told Casado to get out of there.

Amoia began slapping Casado, multiple times. Casado pulled out his gun, firing multiple rounds. Two bullets hit Amoia in the back as he ran away.

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“Even if he wasn’t in great bodily harm, he’s allowed to use deadly force if there’s forcible felony being asserted upon him,” Casado’s attorney said.

In closing arguments, the prosecutor acknowledged that Adam Amoia and his group of friends were not in the right for fighting with Casado, but he said Casado took it too far.

“Mr. Casado would have been perfectly justified in using any other reasonable force to repel the force that was being used against him,” the prosecutor said. “But not pulling out a gun and shooting Adam Amoia as many times as he did.”