Relying on Florida’s "Stand Your Ground" statute, a Broward County circuit judge Thursday dismissed a manslaughter charge against one of four police officers being prosecuted by the Broward State Attorney for opening fire on armed robbers and kidnappers, inadvertently hitting their hostage and a bystander back in 2019 .

Judge Ernest Kollra found suspended Miami-Dade Deputy Jose Mateo was legally justified in using deadly force against the fleeing felons who had robbed a jewelry store and hijacked a UPS truck, taking the driver hostage on Dec. 5, 2019. NBC6

State Attorney Harold Pryor had claimed the officers committed manslaughter, obtaining a grand jury indictment that cited the deaths of the hostage, Frank Ordonez, and a motorist who was shot by one of the officers as he sat in hi

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