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White, Marion County woman arrested for shooting Black neighbor
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says a Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud was arrested today. Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is white, was arrested on charges of manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault in the death of Ajike Owens, a Black mother of four.
Ocala, Fla. resident Lauren Smith says Susan Lorincz would yell racist slurs at the victim’s children.
Before the confrontation, Lorincz had been yelling racial slurs at the children, according to a statement from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Owens’ family. He also represented Trayvon Martin’s family in 2012, when the Black teenager was killed in a case that drew worldwide attention to the state’s stand-your-ground law. Smith also said that the mother had to talk to the suspect after she had thrown roller skates at her children.
Authorities came under pressure today to arrest and charge the white woman who fired through her front door and killed a Black neighbor in a case that has put Florida’s divisive stand-your-ground law back into the spotlight.
Federal judge sides with trans youth in gender-affirmation case
A federal judge has sided with three transgender minors involved in a lawsuit challenging Florida’s restrictions on gender-affirming care. He issued a preliminary injunction yesterday. It blocks enforcement of a ban on providing treatments like puberty blockers and hormones to trans youth while the case is underway. It only applies to the families in the suit.
But Jennifer Levi, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, says it’s an important first step in getting the ban overturned.
The state will likely appeal his ruling.
DeSantis’ migrant relocation causes spar with other states
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration says three dozen migrants whom the state flew from the southern border to California on private planes went willingly. Comments yesterday by a spokesperson from the Florida Division of Emergency Management dispute allegations by California officials that the individuals were coerced to travel under false pretenses. Two planes have arrived in Sacramento carrying asylum-seekers mostly from Colombia and Venezuela. California Attorney General Rob Bonta says he’s investigating whether any violations of criminal or civil law occurred. Bonta, however, said the migrants were approached outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas and were told in “broken Spanish” to board a plane under the false promise of jobs and assistance. They were given documents in English and Spanish, but not all of them understood where they were going until they landed in Sacramento, and not all signed. DeSantis has previously paid to relocate migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.
Judge fights state in gender-affirmation case
A Tallahassee-based federal judge has issued an injunction against Florida’s bans on gender-affirming care for kids. LGBTQ+ advocates are calling the ruling a “powerful affirmation of the humanity of transgender people.”
SCOTUS decision could impact Florida wetlands
A recent decision by the Supreme Court of the United States could have a major impact on wetlands across the country. But a land use attorney says the changes in Florida may not be that drastic. Land, environmental and property rights attorney Dave Smolker spoke yesterday on WMNF’s Tuesday café about the Sackett versus EPA decision. You can listen to the full show here.
New ‘carbon capture’ technology will store carbon underground
Carbon may soon be stored underground in Florida. The new technology has drawn both praise and criticism.
Information from the Florida Public Radio network, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.
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