Surveillance video captured the moments a man pushed another to the ground. Now he's facing charges of manslaughter over just a push after the man who fell to the ground died.
The man's attorney said none of this was intentional and Casey Fletcher, 28, was simply coming to the defense of his girlfriend after the man who died became aggressive with her.
The video NBC 6 exclusively obtained was taken from an Oakland Park tire repair shop where police said 66-year-old Ray French can be seen entering. BSO said French was making hand gestures and used his cane to strike the vehicle that was blocking the sidewalk.
BSO said Fletcher can be seen confronting French and pushing him to the ground. They said Fletcher left and the car driven by his girlfriend departed as customers came to French's aid.
"I think it was a very unfortunate accident. Casey, when he went out there to pick up his car from the tire store, had no intention of hurting anyone," said Jim Lewis, Fletcher's attorney.
Fletcher now faces charges of manslaughter, a second degree felony that could get him a 15-year prison term.
French died at Broward General Hospital two days later, and the medial examiner stated it was due to blunt force trauma to the head. Attorney Lewis said Fletcher and his girlfriend send their condolences and feel for French's family but don't think he should go to jail for more than a decade.
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"A gentleman came up to his girlfriend's car and was menacing," Lewis said. "I don't think this constitutes a crime."
Fletcher turned himself in and detectives said, "Fletcher stated that he exited his car and ran towards French with the intent of getting between him and his girlfriend. Fletcher admitted to forcibly shoving Fletcher to the ground."
Neither Fletcher nor his girlfriend notified the authorities to the incident, according to the police report.
French's brother in Michigan told NBC 6 he is trying to find out just what happened but he doesn't like the fact that his brother was pushed and the pair left the scene.
The state attorney said it's reviewing the entire matter.
