ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Deputy Richard Curry and his unit made a quick stop at an IHOP in St. Petersburg, Florida before embarking on their night shift in January. The evening took a sharp turn when they received a call about a driver fleeing traffic stops in Clearwater. The errant driver was linked to a house in St. Petersburg, located just a few minutes away from the deputies’ dinner spot.
Curry, the first to arrive on the scene, set up a perimeter around the home, hoping to capture the driver. However, instead of the Lexus driver, Curry ended up encountering an armed man who aimed a weapon at him. Curry, in self-defense, shot and killed the man, while his accomplice fled the scene. Delvin Ford, the accomplice, has been on trial this week, facing charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
The trial centers around the death of Marquis Golden, the man shot and killed by Deputy Curry. According to Florida law, an individual can be charged with murder if it occurred while they committed certain serious felonies, even if they didn’t cause the death directly. Prosecutors argue that Ford’s attempted murder of a law enforcement officer led to Golden’s death, thus implicating him in the murder.
The state depicted Curry as an officer facing a life-or-death situation while Ford’s defense challenged the notion that Ford and Golden knew Curry was a deputy and accused prosecutors of creating a simplistic narrative. The incident occurred when one of the men approached Curry’s unmarked car, initiating a series of events that ultimately led to the fatal shooting.
During the trial, Curry testified that he did not identify himself as a deputy when the man approached his car. Moments later, both individuals returned armed with guns and opened fire at Curry, leading to a chaotic and deadly exchange of gunfire.
As the trial unfolds, there is a clash between the state and defense over crucial details of the incident, including the visibility of Curry’s sheriff’s office vest, the clarity of verbal exchanges, and the options available to Curry in the high-stress situation.
The trial is expected to last through next week, as the court delves into the details of the fateful encounter that resulted in the loss of a life and the legal implications for the accused.