The fight over Florida’s Stand Your Ground law has landed squarely in Macclenny, where the Jacksonville NAACP is sounding the alarm after a judge refused immunity to two Baker County men accused in a shooting that left a 19-year-old dead. In a written order, the judge acknowledged the defendants initially cleared a self-defense hurdle but said that protection disappeared once the victim started to retreat, according to court records. The men’s mothers told local reporters that the prospect of their sons spending life in prison has been devastating.
The shooting unfolded the night of June 26, 2025, near Quail Lane and South Boulevard West. Nineteen-year-old Devin Powers Jr. and a 14-year-old were hit by gunfire; Powers later died from his injuries. Early local coverage, along with a sheriff’s office statement, laid out the scene and the early stages of the investigation, as reported by Action News Jax.
A Baker County grand jury later indicted Jamarian Byrd and Travis Roberts Jr. on first-degree premeditated murder and related charges, including shooting into occupied dwellings and discharging a firearm in public. Deputies say investigators believe the gunfire followed an assault and an alleged robbery earlier that same night, according to local reporting. WCJB detailed the indictments and early statements from law enforcement.
Judge's Order And Appeal
In a written order issued this week, the judge found that the defendants had “established a prima facie claim of self-defense” but still denied Stand Your Ground immunity. The ruling says that entitlement “dissolved the moment” the victim began to retreat and was no longer considered a deadly threat. The order also states that the defendants “sprayed the neighborhood with at least 47 bullets” and that their own statements backed up the state’s contention that they kept firing as the victim ran back toward a home. Byrd’s attorney filed a petition on July 1 asking an appellate court to overturn the decision and to issue an emergency stay while the appeal is considered, as reported by News4JAX.
NAACP And Family Reactions
In a July 1 news release, the Jacksonville NAACP said it is “deeply concerned” about the denial and urged “fair and equal application of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.” NAACP Jacksonville President Isaiah Rumlin told the station, “We feel that this is a clear stand your ground case,” and called on community leaders to pay attention. Mothers Latelsa Bowen and Kalissa Warnick described the past year as overwhelming, with Warnick saying, “It’s heartbreaking” and noting that a conviction would mean “that’s life in prison,” as reported by News4JAX.
Stand Your Ground In Context
Florida enacted its modern Stand Your Ground law in 2005, and the statute has repeatedly drawn scrutiny for how it shifts burdens in self-defense cases and how it has been applied in racially charged shootings. Critics and reporters have pointed to studies and high-profile cases that keep the law a flashpoint for civil-rights groups and lawmakers, as reported by WLRN.
For now, the indictments against Byrd and Roberts remain in place while the petition and any appellate review play out, and both sides are gearing up for the next legal steps. Judges and attorneys will ultimately decide whether the cases move to trial or whether immunity is granted on appeal.
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