A Florida man accused of a hate crime for killing a gay man is asking a judge to dismiss the charges, saying he acted in self-defense

Summary

Gerald Radford, accused of killing John “Walt” Lay in a hate crime, claims self-defense under Florida’s stand-your-ground law.

Prosecutors dispute Radford’s story, citing witness testimony of months of harassment, homophobic slurs, and a threatening video Lay shared.

The judge will rule on the stand-your-ground motion next week.