JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The St. Augustine man who had manslaughter charges dismissed in a deadly shooting that was ruled justifiable self-defense will still be spending some time in jail.
On Thursday, Luis Casado was sentenced to 60 days in prison for carrying a firearm into a prohibited place with credit for one day served.
In December of last year, a judge granted Casado’s 'Stand Your Ground' motion in the May 2021 death of Adam Amoia outside Dos Gatos in St. Augustine.
In his ruling, Circuit Judge Lee Smith found Casado acted within his rights when he shot Amoia. He said Casado was in a place where he had a right to be, and “kept backing away from the attack” before shooting.
He noted Casado was legally carrying a firearm and “did believe deadly force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.”
However, Florida law does not allow you to carry a firearm in any establishment whose primary purpose is the sale of alcohol.
Dos Gatos was primarily a bar before it's closure in June 2022 (unrelated to the shooting).
The fatal shooting rocked the usually quiet tourist area and became a rare example of a 'Stand Your Ground' case.
Defense attorney Patrick Canan represented Luis Casado in a hearing in which a judge had to determine if Casado had the right to fire a gun in May 2021.
According to the surveillance footage, Amoia and another man started hitting Casado. It does not appear that Casado struck back.
One of the blows knocked Casado’s glasses off his face and he started to step backwards in a "submissive mode," as described by the judge's written decision.
The video shows Casado was eventually backed-up against the exterior wall, and Amoia continued to hit him.
That’s when Casado pulled out his gun, fired it, and Amoia died.
Reflecting on the case, Canan previously told First Coast News, "I think it was the science combined with the video is what was the difference in this case."
He and his team used video from two different locations: one from Dos Gators and one from a bagel shop across the street.
"We were able to merge those with use of experts using science," Canan explained. "And we were able to break the video down into milliseconds and milimeters. We learned things like the first (gun)shot to the last shot was 1.6 seconds as opposed to some of the testimony having it at 25 -30 seconds."
The judge rules Casado – who pulled the trigger – had a right to do so under Florida’s stand your ground rule. That rule has to meet certain stipulations.
Canan noted those requirements for a Stand Your Ground defense in Florida include, "If there is fear of great bodily harm or death.... and you were in a place you had a right to be.... and you weren’t committing a crime at the time it happened."
He also said, "I know it’s not easy for any judge in the state to grant a Stand Your Ground motion, especially if someone has died."
Canan also said that "most Stand Your Ground motions are denied."