Dedicated to Defending Your Rights & Protecting Your Future

Brevard County deputy tries to prove he stood his ground in 2016 deadly shooting

Posted March 8, 2019

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —A former Brevard County Sheriff’s deputy was in court on Friday for a stand your ground hearing related to the fatal shooting of a man during an alleged road rage incident.

Yousef Hafza is charged with second-degree murder in the 2016 fatal shooting of Clarence Howard, 25.

The two men were involved in an alleged road rage incident in 2016 while Hafza was off-duty. Hafza told investigators in an audio-recorded statement that Howard later charged him on foot.

The stand your ground motion heard Friday described Howard and the other man involved, Jose Montanez, as bigger than Hafza, and gang members, according to two gang identification experts.

Montanez took the stand during the hearing Friday to describe the events leading up to the shooting.

Montanez testified that he was driving when Hafza nearly hit him with his car. He said he went after him, intending to have just a verbal confrontation, because people “die that way all the time.”

Montanez said Hafza never identified as an officer, and did not give them a chance to retreat. According to Montanez, Hafza got out of his car and just began shooting.

After a recess, the defense began to cross examine Montanez in an effort to establish that he trailed Hafza for four miles with the purpose of confronting him.

Defense attorneys claim Montanez tried to run Hafza off the road and box him in at a stop sign as a response to the initial near-accident.

During Friday's hearing prosecutors played a 911 call in which Hafza said "I had two guys try to attack me. I shot one of them."

The hearing will continue at a later date when the defense will be able to present it's case.

If the judge sides with Hafza, instead of facing trial or possibly life in prison, he'd be released.

Copyright © 2019,Wesh

Source: Wesh Channel 2

Categories
  • ★★★★★

    Forever Have My Gratitude

    “THE MOST brilliant, and dedicated professionals I ever met! I was engaged in a very complex civil matter with my employer. The Honorable Mark NeJame is the real deal – he is irreplaceable and Orlando should be proud.”

    - A.M.
  • ★★★★★

    Best in Town

    “I was involved in a car accident, and Nejame Law Office took my case and the result was phenomenal. I got way more money than I expected.”

    - D.T.
  • ★★★★★

    Best Law Firm

    “NeJame law firm assisted me with a legal transaction and I can wholeheartedly say that they are without question the best law firm that I have ever had the opportunity to assist me in legal matters.”

    - P.T.
  • ★★★★★

    Two Felonies Dropped

    “I am very grateful for hiring the NeJame Law team in my case. They did a very good job and worked very hard intricately and in great detail which resulted in having 2 felonies dropped with no probation.”

    - B.F.
  • ★★★★★

    We would highly recommend NeJame law to anyone that asked!

    “My wife and I turned to NeJame Law when we got married and needed an immigration attorney to assist with the immigration process. We were pleased with how well we were treated and how easy our attorney made the entire process.”

    - O.H.

When Your Future Is On the Line... Help Is Here

Put NeJame Law On Your Team Today