Despite being found not guilty, man who shot ex-girlfriend 5 times must stay in jail
Judge considers him a danger to the community and the victim
For the past week, a man who shot his ex-girlfriend five times and left her with permanent injuries has been in jail, despite jurors finding him not guilty.
Guilty plea withdrawn, trial held
Last Friday, jurors found Gayle Blount shot his ex-girlfriend Bridget Knighton in self-defense and believed him when he testified that he was in fear for his life. On the other hand, Knighton also took the stand and told jurors her ex-boyfriend was aggressive and wanted to kill her inside a Miami Gardens apartment.
Severe injuries and surgeries
Knighton was shot at least five times and left with injuries across her body, needing more than 10 surgeries since the incident.
Judge’s decision
After the verdict, Blount thought he would walk out of a Miami-Dade courthouse a free man, however, he was instead transferred to the Broward County Jail on a hold.
Pending domestic violence case
The 55-year-old has a pending domestic violence case in Broward, where Knighton accused him of grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her into a table at a Denny’s restaurant. Records show the victim did not suffer any life-threatening injuries in that incident.
Knighton’s concerns
After the Miami-Dade verdict, where jurors found Blount was not attempting to kill his girlfriend, Knighton told NBC6 she feared for her safety and would not stop looking for justice.
New developments
The week prior to the verdict, Blount had pleaded guilty to the charges under a plea deal that would have given him a 20-year prison sentence. However, Knighton appeared in court and urged the judge to deny the deal because she wanted her shooter to spend at least 25 years in prison. Because Blount was not willing to accept 25 years, the judge allowed him to take back his guilty plea and head to trial.
Broward judge’s decision
Despite the disappointing verdict for Knighton, on Friday, she continued looking for her own justice by speaking out again, this time in front of a Broward judge. “It was a miscarriage of justice in Miami-Dade, and I just pray Broward doesn’t do the same thing,” Knighton told a judge in a hearing.
Judge’s ruling
Meanwhile, defense attorneys Jonathan Jordan and Mattew Rogoff demanded his client be released from the Broward jail and be on some sort of release until the misdemeanor battery case was resolved. “The body of Mr. Blount is being detained illegally at that point he has served the statutory maximum,” Jordan said.
Conclusion
In the end, Judge Chris Brown considered Blount to be a danger to the community and the victim. Blount must stay in jail until the Broward case is resolved.
FAQs
* What was the verdict in the Miami-Dade case?
The jury found Gayle Blount not guilty of attempted murder.
* What was the outcome of the Broward case?
The judge ruled that Blount must stay in jail until the case is resolved.
* What are the charges in the Broward case?
Blount is facing a charge of domestic violence for allegedly grabbing and pushing Bridget Knighton at a Denny’s restaurant.
