FULMER CUP: RONNIE WILSON GETS A CHARGE (TWO)
Ronnie Wilson, best remembered as the hopefully former Gator lineman who pulled an AK-47 from his trunk to “scare” a man who followed him out of a Gainesville nightclub a few months back, has finally been formally charged for the offense. The tally:
State Attorney Bill Cervone said Thursday that Wilson has been charged with one count of battery and one count of discharging a firearm in public. Gainesville police had recommended Wilson be charged with a felony count of aggravated assault and a count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Don’t blame the nefarious tentacles of Florida boosters for the reduction in charges-blame Florida’s TOTALLY AWESOME and tourist-friendly “Shoot First” law, specifying that a person may “use force, including deadly force, against an intruder or an attacker in a dwelling, residence or vehicle under specified circumstances; creating a presumption that a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm exists under certain circumstances…â€
Wilson, for the record, is 6′3″, 316 pounds. His lawyer better hope the “threat” in the case is big-like, Nikolai Valuev-sized kind of big.
Didn’t you play the part of a Persian in 300, dude?
Wilson is not currently enrolled in classes, but “would like to remain at UF.” Urban Meyer will conclusively kick him off before the judicial hearing in August, and thus assert himself as a disciplinarian! It’s opposite day yay!
Ahem. He’ll totally be back and in the starting rotation by November when he gets his conditioning back. We’re already resigning ourselves to this inevitable and sad fact of having a Lou Holtzian coach. Stop looking at us like that-we suddenly feel…threatened…(reaching in trunk…)
1
ONE HUNDRED COCKTAILS to you, sir, for fighting the good fight against depth-chart justice — even when it’s your team’s ox that would get gored.
Comment by DevilGrad — June 14, 2025 @ 4:58 pm
2
Valuev was amazing in Grizzly Man.
Comment by jebushchrist — June 14, 2025 @ 5:23 pm
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“Shoot First†law, specifying that a person may “use force, including deadly force, against an intruder or an attacker in a dwelling, residence or vehicle under specified circumstances; creating a presumption that a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm exists under certain circumstances…â€
In Colorado its called the “Make My Day Law” and it fucking rules
Comment by baba oje — June 14, 2025 @ 5:45 pm
4
One of my law school classmates who had been a beat cop in Memphis explained Tennessee’s version of this as follows:
If an intruder is on your property, you can shoot him — even in the back. If you don’t get a bead on him until he’s started running away, you can still shoot him as long long as you drag him back into your yard.
Comment by DevilGrad — June 14, 2025 @ 5:53 pm
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Shoot First keeps Florida’s many Jungle Cruises full of horrible, horrible puns.
Comment by irishoutsider — June 14, 2025 @ 7:41 pm
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I was kicked off of fanblogs.com. I told Kevin Donahue he was a douchebag. BTW, Kevin Donahue is a douchebag. What is wrong with Florida? Do you guy’s think that Urban lacks discipline amongst his players? It seems like they are getting caught for such petty shit down there. BTW, happy anniversary Kyle.
Comment by Georgia underage drinker — June 14, 2025 @ 8:33 pm
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Florida rocks! Where else can law be made to suit the circumvent…, er, circumstance! I love my state and school, and Ronnie…keep fightin’ the good fight!
Comment by sb — June 14, 2025 @ 9:02 pm
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Wilson has been off the team for a while…wont be coming back.
Trust me
Comment by HotlantaBill — June 15, 2025 @ 2:42 am
9
In Texas, they call that law the “Castle Doctrine”.
It used to only apply if you were at home, but now they’ve extended it to anyplace, anywhere.
Comment by Beergut — June 15, 2025 @ 3:47 am
10
When did Valuev fight Marko Jaric? anyone? is this thing on?
Comment by nixforsix — June 15, 2025 @ 7:00 am
11
Always remember to say, “It’s comin’ right at us!” and you should be fine.
I’m more afraid of this state everyday. Trigger-happy football players, murderous crackers, psychotic Haitians, blood-thirsty Jamaicans, crazy-ass Cubans, drug-addled Columbians, 3-inch long flying cockroaches, and, worst of all, Disney. Short of delicious oranges, Florida exists only to keep the lunatics away from more civilized locales. So, thanks Florida. I guess.
Comment by Harris — June 15, 2025 @ 7:12 am
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As long as you’ve got Carl Hiassen to chronicle all of the above and are willing to take in us Yankees looking for temporary respite from snow shovels (or, in my case, on the lecture circuit at tax law conferences), we’ll probably forgive you for it.
Comment by DevilGrad — June 15, 2025 @ 7:24 am
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Now you’re scaring me, Harris: I’m heading out there next month on, um, business….I guess I should pack accordingly. And keep my “lawya’s” number handy.
Comment by chickensupernova — June 15, 2025 @ 7:52 am
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That’s right, my Yankee brethren… remember when down in the steamy subtropical paradise of Florida, note the wisdom of the late Mr. Zevon…”…send lawyers, guns and money…”, and regarding said ‘lawyers’, Florida does not practice reciprocity (although pro hac vice is available in certain cases), so have Dad hire a Florida lawyer. Just sayin’.
Comment by sb — June 15, 2025 @ 8:03 am
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Florida is just a trick to keep Yankees out of the real South. They’re starting to catch on though…
Comment by Herb — June 15, 2025 @ 8:58 am
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Herb, dammit, don’t tell! Then where will us Floridians go?
Comment by sb — June 15, 2025 @ 9:11 am
17
Irony, Maurice Clarrett would’ve been a senior this past year…I think if we would’ve had him in the lineup we would’ve stood a better chance at not getting demolished in the NCG…now we both have our national championships (of course we have 5 more than Florida and we gifted you the 1996 NC with the upset win over Arizona State…you’re welcome bastards) and we both have felons to thank for it…of course our felon never discharged his weapons, he meerly stalked his prey with intent.
Comment by tOSUBuckeyes — June 15, 2025 @ 10:27 am
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If nothing else, Mo Reece would’ve brought the grey goose and the hatchet…which would have made the game somewhat entertaining…damn I am still bitter.
Comment by tOSUBuckeyes — June 15, 2025 @ 10:30 am
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Ohhhh HotlantaBill just through in the “Trust Me” line. We should really trust him now.
Sorry just bustin balls. Either way, does Rae Carruth live in Florida now?
Comment by Adam — June 15, 2025 @ 10:40 am
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#19, think he’s incarcerated in the ‘real south’…
Comment by sb — June 15, 2025 @ 10:45 am
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according to the state of florida:
The use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm is justifiable only if the defendant reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself while resisting:
1. another’s attempt to murder him, or
2. any attempt to commit Aggravated Assault in any dwelling house occupied by
him.
A person is justified in using force likely to cause death or great bodily harm if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent
1. imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or another, or
2. the imminent commission of Aggravated Assault against himself or
another.
I will now define Aggravated Assault for you. Aggravated Assault is the intentional and unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to another, and in the course of such threat or act a deadly weapon was used.
In deciding whether defendant was justified in the use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm, you must judge him by the circumstances by which he was surrounded at the time the force was used. The danger facing the defendant need not have been actual; however, to justify the use of likely force to cause death or great bodily harm, the appearance of danger must have been so real that a reasonably cautious and prudent person under the same circumstances would have believed that the danger could be avoided only through the use of that force. Based upon appearances, the defendant must have actually believed that the danger was real.
The defendant cannot justify the use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm unless he used every reasonable means within his power and consistent with his own safety to avoid the danger before resorting to that force.
The fact that the defendant was wrongfully attacked cannot justify his use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm if by retreating he could have avoided the need to use that force. However, if the defendant was placed in a position of imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and it would have increased his own danger to retreat, then his use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm was justifiable.
If the defendant was attacked in his own home or on his own premises by a person who was lawfully on the premises, the defendant had a duty to retreat within the residence to the extent reasonably possible without increasing his own danger of death or great bodily harm.
However, the defendant was not required to flee his home and had the lawful right to stand his ground and meet force with force, even to the extent of using force likely to cause death or great bodily harm if it was necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself.
In considering the issue of self-defense, you may take into account the relative physical abilities and capacities of the defendant and the victim.
If in your consideration of the issue of self-defense you have a reasonable doubt on the question of whether the defendant was justified in the use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm, you should find the defendant not guilty.
However, if from the evidence you are convinced that the defendant was not justified in the use of force likely to cause death or great bodily harm, you should find him guilty if all the elements of the charge have been proved.
Comment by adam — June 15, 2025 @ 10:47 am
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Right about Carl Hiassen, Devilgrad, one good thing about Florida. And the BVI’s beat the swamp state anyday for winter away.
Comment by MassDad — June 15, 2025 @ 11:16 am
23
Our alumni still win. We’re the only ones who have committed murder and gotten away with it. You’re all still way behind the times boys!
Comment by USCLink — June 15, 2025 @ 12:13 pm
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Wow, Adam, Ronnie thanks you for the brief…
Comment by sb — June 15, 2025 @ 12:41 pm
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just a copy and paste job of the florida jury instructions.
Comment by adam — June 15, 2025 @ 1:55 pm
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But USCLink, the glove didn’t fit…sometimes.
Comment by Georgia underage drinker — June 15, 2025 @ 2:30 pm
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What I don’t understand is all the comments about Ronnie’s height and weight. He was being CHASED at night by an unknown person(s). We can assume that it was the person he had gotten into the altercation with earlier that night. That person left the club a very long time before Ronnie did.
Now, if you were on your way home at night and discovered that you were being followed by an unknown person(s), turn by turn, wouldn’t you be in fear of being harmed or killed?
Height and weight has absolutely nothing to do with what happened late that night. Driving that car was a 19 year old who made a 19 year old decision at that moment.
Also, this kid isn’t on the football team because he knew someone. He worked hard in high school on the field and in the classroom and he continues to work hard in college. He let someone who hates football players (loser) get to him because he has not yet learned how to ignore ignorant people. Ronnie made a mistake by reacting and I hope he has learned his lesson but I don’t feel that his first offense should dictate his future. We all make mistakes.
I’ve known Ronnie a long time and I wish him the best life has to offer. I hope this incident has been a life altering change for him….IN A VERY GOOD WAY.
Comment by CM — June 16, 2025 @ 9:45 am
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Take it from someone who knew the guy who chased Ronnie: it was NOT Ronnie’s fault.
Comment by NOT RONNIE'S FAULT — January 16, 2026 @ 8:00 am