JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- In newly released jailhouse calls, Michael Dunn compared his situation as a victim to that of a rape victim.
"It's not quite the same but it made me think of the old TV shows and movies like how police used to think when a chick got raped, they'd be like, 'Oh it's her fault because of how she was dressed.' So it's my fault because I asked them to turn their radio down. I got attacked and I fought back because I didn't want to be a victim and now I'm in trouble."
The conversation is among hours and hours of recordings just released to Action News.
In another call, Dunn told his father Phillip Dunn, "I hope to be exonerated."
"I think you're going to come out good," said Phillip Dunn.
"I sure hope so, pop," replied Michael Dunn.
"You're a good person, and I think pretty much anyone would've done the same thing," said Phillip Dunn.
Throughout the hours of phone conversations, Dunn expresses his love for Rouer, who ultimately would testify in Dunn's murder trial that Dunn never mentioned anything about a gun in their drive back to the hotel on the night of the shooting.
"When the shrinks are evaluating me, they ask what's the best part of my life and I told them it was you," sobbed Dunn in a collect call that he made to Rouer from the Duval County Jail in December 2012.
The first phone call made on December 2, 2012, is an hourlong talk between Dunn and his father, Phillip Dunn.
[SPECIAL COVERAGE: MICHAEL DUNN TRIAL]
In the phone call, Dunn's father blasted Robin Lemonidis, the first attorney on the case. Phillip Dunn told Michael Dunn the family hired a new one.
"That woman attorney is bad news; I mean really bad news. She's just a money-grabber," said Dunn's father.
Phillip Dunn said of the new attorney, Cory Strolla, "He is awesome."
Dunn's father said Strolla instructed Michael Dunn not to speak to anyone about the case or even smile.
"Because what happens is you can cry for a half-hour and one smile and they'll have the one smile all over the newspaper. This thing is viral; it's all over the place because he was a black kid," said Phillip Dunn. "Don't make no comment. We know we're all terribly sorry it happened but you got to defend yourself."
Dunn also got through to his fiancée in a collect call from the Duval County Jail.
"Hey, sweetheart," said Dunn.
"How are you?" asked Rouer.
"I'm doing OK," said Dunn.
"I can't believe it's taken this long to get a hold of you," said Rouer.
"I'm in a room by myself, I'm fine. How are you holding together?" asked Dunn.
"It's been nerve-wracking. There's been reporters coming to the door; it's just been nerve-wracking," said Rouer.
"I love you very much, will you please call me tomorrow night?" asked Rouer. "I will, and be strong. I"m being strong for you, babe," said Dunn.
"I will be home this month, and I will see you next week for my birthday," said Dunn.
In another call to his fiancée, Dunn described a letter he received from his first attorney, Robin Lemonidis.
"She found some YouTube videos of these guys and they're all gangster rappers," said Dunn. The defendant said the music videos were taken down the very next day.
A jury convicted Dunn on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for shooting at the friends of Jordan Davis. But the jury deadlocked on the murder charge.
The State Attorney's Office says it will retry Dunn on that count. The next hearing in the case is set for March 24.
Dunn faces 30 years in prison for each count of attempted second-degree murder, with a 20-year mandatory minimum, and 15 years in prison for the conviction on shooting or throwing a deadly missile.
Action News Leslie Coursey is going through hours and hours of jailhouse phone calls. Watch Action News beginning at 5 p.m. for more. Those calls can also be found in the video player on our Jordan Davis page of our website.
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