The former federal prosecutor was charged with stabbing another driver after a traffic accident at Howard Frankland Bridge.
A court paper filed late Wednesday in Patrick Scruggs’ case, formally declares his intention to assert immunity from prosecution under controversial law.
In the book since 2005, Stand’s ground law extended self-defense in Florida by removing what is known as the “obligation to retreat” when a person faces the threat of violent conflict. It allows for the use of lethal force in situations where a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent death or major bodily harm.
If the judge determines that the case meets the standards of the law, the defendant will be declared immunized from the prosecution. The law received strong support when the National Rifle Association was passed.
Scruggs, 40, is a former prosecutor at the U.S. Lawyer’s office in Tampa. He was arrested in September 2023 in the morning rush hour traffic on the bridge that stretches to old Tampa Bay after a strange string of events.
It all began when Blake Sharp, who was driving a Lexus, stopped traffic and fell into the passenger seat, according to court records. A fellow driver, Ahmed Gahaf, saw him and tried to help.
According to a court paper, Sharp didn’t respond immediately and appeared to be injuring. As Gahaf walked to get the tool to break the window, Sharp suddenly speeded forward and crashed into the back of his car. He then turned to the left lane and then backed up, where he collided with Honda Civic of Scruggs, the paper says.
Scruggs left and carried a small pocket knife. A court paper says he intended to use it to break the windows of Sharp’s car. When Sharps told him to leave, Sharp didn’t respond, the paper states.
Sharp looked “very drunk,” the paper says. His speech became obscure, his eyes were expanded, and his attitude was disorientated.
Scruggs discovered the car door was locked and used the back of the knife to crush the window. The struggle continued as he reached out to turn the car off. Sharp tried to accelerate, the paper says. That was what Scruggs stabbed him in his arm several times at the time.
When Gahaff spoke to the 911 Call Taker, a court paper says Scruggs yelled at the phone. I stabbed him! He needs an ambulance! ”
Scruggs was supportive when police arrived.
He was taken to prison and booked with a worsening battery and other charges.
His lawyers, John Norglen and Lee Perlman, argued in court papers that Scruggs feared not only his safety but the general public. They claim that Sharp was trying to escape the crash scene because he had multiple arrest warrants. He currently serves a two-year state prison sentence for the conviction of the Hernando County battery.
As she says on paper, Sharp believed that if he recklessly stomps him, he might put others in danger.
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In pretrial testimony, Sharp denied that he was trying to escape from the crash scene. He argued that his behavior that morning was due to a diabetic emergency. However, Scruggs’ lawyers looked at medical records showing that he had normal blood sugar levels. They suggested that he may have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
“(Scruggs) stepped in to stop Sheen’s efforts to escape from the scene,” the lawyer wrote. “If (he) hadn’t done so, (he) and other morning commuters would be dangerous if drunk Mr Sharp was allowed to run down the crowded Howard Frankland Bridge. Under these circumstances, the use of (his) power was reasonable and necessary to protect him from the threat of great bodily harm to himself and others.”
The case is set for regular court hearings on Wednesday, and the judge will set a date for the state and defense to assert the ground request.
