Anita Smithey Convicted of Second Degree Murder
Anita Smithey
It’s a case that did not get much attention outside of the Florida. In or about April 2012 after George Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder for killing unarmed 17-year old Trayvon Martin, I began researching stand your ground cases in Florida. Smithey’s case was one of several that caught my attention, along with the cases of John Orr, and Trevor Dooley.
On May 4, 2010, Smithey shot and killed Robert Cline III, her estranged husband. She claimed that he was raping her after they had consensual sex, and cut her throat and stabbed her in the side. Smithey claimed that she shot Robert once in the chest. The medical examiner however, said that there were two entrance wounds.
Smithey gave detectives several versions of her story, and admitted to stabbing herself. She was denied immunity under Florida’s stand your ground statute and her case proceeded to trial. A name familiar to some, Judge Kenneth Lester, presided over the trial. Smithey did not take the witness stand in her defense.
Today, a jury of six, consisting of 4 women and 2 men deliberated less than three hours. They returned a verdict of guilty of second degree murder. Smithey, 46, collapsed in the courtroom and started sobbing when she heard the verdict. Judge Lester ordered Smithey to jail. Her sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2015. Smithey faces 25 years to life in prison.
Rest in peace, Robert Cline III
In other news, Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who killed Michael Brown, is in negotiations to resign his position. Wilson says that if the grand jury returns an indictment, he might change his mind and not resign. To read more, click here.
Posted on 11/20/2014, in Conceal Carry & SYG, Michael Brown - Ferguson and tagged Anita Smithey, convicted, Darren Wilson, Florida, resignation, second degree murder, Stand Your Ground. Bookmark the permalink. 46 Comments.
We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident 
My head is swimming,…..
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. This world has gone NUTS!
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Hat tip to scrodriguez about the video.
Anonymous discovers that Darren Wilson is associated with the KKK.
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Stateoftheinternet’s video regarding Darren Wilson, the KKK, and counters the arguments of Darren Wilson supporters. (Adult language used)
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Unbelievable!!!
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Hey Juan! What’s unbelievable? That Anita killed her estranged husband and thought she would get away with it? It’s Florida. Orr and Smithey committed their crimes before Zimmerman, and Zimmerman’s trial concluded in July 2013. Evidently, they and also Michael Dunn, thought they could play the Zimmerman card of saying they felt threatened and was afraid, and walk away.
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I’ll stay away from Florida… And Texas…
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Juan,
LOL! After my husband’s death, some friends wanted me to relocate to Florida. I couldn’t see packing up and moving to a State I am unfamiliar with. That was in 2009. I’m happy about my decision. Hawaii however, keeps calling. 🙂
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California isnt that bad….
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Juan, I heard that if California has another big earthquake, that Nevada might become beach front property. 🙂 I do honor the legislatures in California for the most part.
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oh yeah! Hawaii!
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Ha! LOL I lived there for years!
All of the Islands are unique. They are all special. But, they are all becoming very commercialized, with the Big Island, Oahu, and Maui being the most.
Please………….Please If anyone is going to visit Hawaii, go to Kauai. Stay on the west shore. It’s gorgeous, quiet, there are miles of beach, mountains………….Look it up…..I’ve been there, many times. (And you can catch a hop to all of the other islands for 50 bucks if you want to see them also)
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Yeah — Hawaii just called my name loud and clear. LOL! I think I should first learn to swim, however. LOL!
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Off Topic
Stop the Execution of Rodney Reed!
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-execution-of-rodney-reed
The State of Texas may execute an innocent man. Rodney Reed was wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of Stacey Stites in 1998. Semen collected from Stites’ body belonged to Reed, a fact that was explained by a consensual sexual relationship , which was not presented at trial despite numerous witnesses. Nor was the evidence that Stites’ fiancé, Jimmy Fenell Jr., had a history of sexual violence and failed a polygraph test about the murder. Fennell is now serving a ten year sentence for raping a woman while in his custody as a Georgetown, TX police officer. Other evidence that could clear Reed includes: DNA found on beer cans at the site that linked two police officers to the crime (withheld from the defense at trial); that police failed to search Fennell and Stites’ apartment; and threats Fennell had made that he would kill Stites if she cheated on him. Reed, a black man, was convicted of killing a white woman by an all-white jury. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals both denied Reed the chance to present this evidence in open court.
We, the undersigned, believe it is a travesty of justice to deny Reed the chance to present the above evidence to a jury. We demand that Reed not be issued a warrant for execution, and that he be granted a new trial where the evidence of Reed’s innocence and Fennell’s possible guilt can be presented, and that the execution of Rodney Reed not go forward under any circumstances.
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Hey Lady. I just tweeted out the link to the petition. Justice for Rodney Reed.
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Thank you Anita!
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Signed!
Thank you for letting me know about this my friend.
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Hope all is well with you KH… Was thinking about going to MI for Xmas and every time I do, I remember you!
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I don’t see Wilson resigning to ‘protect his fellow officers’… Am listening to Stateoftheinternet video now..
I signed and shared the petition. How in the hell can an all white jury be considered a jury of one’s peers when one is a person of color?? O.M.G. I’m sure the jury wasn’t given information that the boyfriend was in prison already for having raped a woman in his custody while he was a Police Officer. This is nuts. Texas… Floriduh’s only saving grace..
Seems I remember the Anita Smithey story, that she and her husband had consensual sex on a regular basis after they divorced.
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Mindyme,
Me either. What’s this thing about “negotiating” his resignation? He should walk-in, say “I quit” and walk out.
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If he is brought up on charges from the GJ he’ll need the police attorney but if he resigns prior to the GJ decision then he loses the benefits that he would have received while still being employed…..no police attorney.
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Ahhh towerflower. You are the voice of logic and knowledge. That makes perfect sense. Thanks for addressing my concern.
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Yes, I believe you are right, tower flower!
Thanks for your insight!
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I was thinking if he resigns before an indictment he would still receive his pension. Thanks for this!
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I don’t think he has the time in as an officer to qualify for a pension.
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another Anonymous video ( I hope I copied the right link)
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and… another one
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Casey Nolen KSDK @CaseyNolen · 56m 56 minutes ago
“We are committed to peace.” -Disciples of Justice. Taking new volunteers to serve in yellow shirts. #Ferguson
Steph Lecci @stephlecci · 1h 1 hour ago
Rev. Lee: Disciples of Justice will stand on front lines, “will be out every night” to watch both protesters & police
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FBI Sends 100 Agents to Ferguson Ahead of Grand Jury Decision
http://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-sends-100-agents-ferguson-ahead-grand-jury/story?id=27084669#.VG-VN8iFOrs.twitter
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Natalie Jackson retweeted
Lisa Bloom @LisaBloom · 7h 7 hours ago
Three Ferguson witnesses go on camera again to stand by their accounts that Mike Brown was shot with his hands up.
http://ow.ly/EFcRT
Natalie Jackson @NatJackEsq · 7h 7 hours ago
#Ferguson Atty General Holder issues a message pre-Grand Jury verdict—>
http://www.justice.gov/opa/video/maintaining-public-safety-while-safeguarding-constitutional-rights …
Natalie Jackson retweeted
TC @tchopstl · 8h 8 hours ago
The police response after the GJ will shape our kids’ relationship to and perception of law enforcement for years to come. #Ferguson
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Shaun King @ShaunKing · 21m 21 minutes ago
In the press conference, government flat out admits they haven’t done any prep for KKK threats that’ve been made.
https://twitter.com/local_maxima/status/535900804012863488 …
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“A Collective Prayer For Ferguson”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pastor-renita-marie-mdiv/prayer-for-ferguson-_b_6158192.html
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JENNINGS, Mo. (AP) — A school district that includes some students from Ferguson, Missouri, is calling off classes Monday and Tuesday, citing potential unrest if a much-anticipated grand jury announcement occurs soon.
The Jennings School District had already planned to shut down Wednesday through the end of the week for Thanksgiving. A letter sent home to parents on Friday said that with the uncertainty regarding the grand jury announcement, closing schools for the entire week seemed like the most logical thing to do.
An announcement is expected soon about whether the grand jury will indict Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson, who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in the St. Louis suburb on Aug. 9. The St. Louis region is bracing for protests over the decision.
http://www.thepublicopinion.com/news/associated_press/national/school-district-near-ferguson-cancels-classes/article_c2c1778e-c5f3-535f-b074-85d49b5859c0.html
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deray mckesson @deray · 9m 9 minutes ago
I’ll stop talking about white privilege when its impact stops being felt. #Ferguson
deray mckesson @deray · 9m 9 minutes ago
I’ll stop talking about white supremacy when its legacy and its presence stop leading to the end of black life. #Ferguson
deray mckesson @deray · 12m 12 minutes ago
Black liberation work is anti-white supremacy, not anti-white. This is about dismantling racism, not managing guilt. #Ferguson
deray mckesson @deray · 46m 46 minutes ago
Why protest? Because the mere thought of black bodies assembling should not mobilize the National Guard. #Ferguson
deray mckesson @deray · 46m 46 minutes ago
I do not want to die. Martyrdom is not a goal. But I do not want to live in an America that means that blackness equals death. #Ferguson
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deray mckesson @deray · 4m 4 minutes ago
I believe in voting. Voting matters. But Harriet didn’t vote her way to freedom. #Ferguson
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deray mckesson @deray · 51m 51 minutes ago
We are more afraid of allowing the killing our children to go unchecked than we are of tear gas, rubber bullets, and LRAD. #Ferguson
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She sounds like a female Ralph Wald. Even though she self wounded to sell her story for credibility ,she ultimately failed. A just verdict due to her dishonesty and self wounding. Speaking of Trevor Dooley his appeal was denied. No surprise. Trevor began his 8 yr prison sentence this week.
http://baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2014/11/17/trevor_dooley_taken_.html
http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2014/11/18/trevor-dooley-jail-sentence/19212685/
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that sucks so bad for Trevor Dooley.
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Oh my! Thanks for the update on Dooley. I was hoping that his appeal would grant him a new trial. Chuquest, I won’t forget how you helped to open my eyes when I compared how the jury reached the verdict in Dooley’s case and how the jury should do the same in Zimmerman’s case. You were right.
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How many police officers put their cruisers in reverse and back up to confront people? Why didn’t Darren Wilson turn his cruiser around and go back to Michael and Dorian?
Think Darren Wilson wanted to scare the heck out of Michael and Dorian for not getting out the street as he had instructed them to? Backing up quickly and SO CLOSE to them in order to show them just WHO was boss?
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I agree, that made no sense at all.
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For 104 days, the police have lied and said Mike Brown was killed 35 feet away from Darren Wilson’s SUV. It was actually 148 feet.
131 feet, 1 inch (distance between the fire hydrant and where Mike Brown died), + 17 feet (distance between the fire hydrant and the driver’s side door of Darren Wilson’s SUV) = 148 feet.
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Thanks for the video, Lady2soothe. Willisnewton posted on this blog her discovery work of the distance, and said then that it was at least 100 feet between Wilson’s SUV and where Michael was killed. scrodriguez also did work on that by getting photos of the crime scene because of his perception that Michael had ran quite a distance. LLMPapa also made a reference of the distance (don’t remember now if it was by video or Twitter), based on the shot that went into an apartment. We’ve been knowing this for months, but the Ferguson Police Dept. has not released any “findings” or evidence.
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Wow I love the way the prosecutors are so knowledgeable about rape, and the husbands nice text messages meaning that he couldn’t have been violent, because I have been in the same predicament, and my boyfriend sent the same kind of messages and almost killed me and stalked me and made my life miserable, this lady is telling the truth and you can totally tell, these prosecutors are ridiculous and obviously have not done their homework, they should know the personality of a liar, she is not lying
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Sunni, I’m sorry to hear that you have personal experience with domestic violence and stalking.
If I remember correctly, Anita’s biggest disadvantage is that she claimed her estranged husband stabbed her, then admitted that she stabbed herself after she killed him. Anita could have taken the route that Jody Arias took in having an expert testify about domestic violence. However, it didn’t help Arias and probably would not have helped Anita either because of the efforts they made to make sure that the men were dead.
Thanks for your comment.
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