ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Defense attorneys argued self-defense on day one of the ‘stand your ground’ hearing for a deadly shooting in St. Augustine outside the Dos Gatos bar, which has since permanently closed.
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Luis Casado faces manslaughter charges after police said he shot and killed Adam Amoia in May 2021.
Kenneth Johnson for the state said Casado pulled out a gun and continued to shoot even after Amoia turned away and started running. He told the judge the fatal shot was after he had already turned away.
Surveillance video released by the State Attorney’s Office showed it started as a fight outside the bar.
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“Casado was viciously attacked for no reason,” his attorney, Patrick Canan, argued before a judge Monday. “Our legislature put this law into effect for this case.”
Action News Jax’s Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson, a criminal defense lawyer, explained ‘stand your ground’ is for cases when someone is in imminent fear of death or great bodily harm. If the judge agrees, Casado will be cleared of all charges.
Canan said Casado was slapped several times to the point that he almost fell to the ground, and his glasses flew off during the altercation.
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A witness on the stand Monday said, “I thought it was horseplay — just guys hanging out. I did see someone slap someone. But it wasn’t like a wound-up punch.”
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Casado was at Dos Gatos while Amoia was there with a wedding party. Surveillance video didn’t pick up the audio, but the defense said they hired an analyst to improve sound quality from a camera across the street that did record sound to better understand what led up to the fight.
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The courtroom was packed with family from both sides, and a representative for the State Attorney’s Office said the hearing is expected to last until at least Thursday.