An Indiana homeowner has been charged with voluntary manslaughter after the fatal shooting of a house cleaner, sparking discussions about the implications of stand-your-ground laws. Curt Anderson could face a sentence of 10 to 30 years behind bars if convicted of the charges concerning the incident that occurred on November 5, which resulted in the tragic death of 32-year-old Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez.
Rios, an immigrant from Guatemala, was part of a cleaning crew that mistakenly approached the wrong house. According to reports, Rios' husband was with her at the time and indicated that they were shot at through the front door without prior warning. He recounted the horrifying moment he realized she was hit, as she fell back into his arms, bleeding.
Indiana, like 30 other states, has a stand-your-ground law that allows individuals to use force, including deadly force, to protect themselves from perceived threats. However, law enforcement stated that there is no evidence to suggest that Rios attempted to enter Anderson’s home unlawfully before she was shot.
This incident closely mirrors a recent case in Missouri involving Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager shot by an elderly man after mistakenly approaching his house. In that case, prosecutors charged the shooter, resulting in a guilty plea for second-degree assault.
Jody Madeira, a law professor at Indiana University who specializes in gun rights, deemed the Rios situation both “horrible” and highly unusual. She explained that to qualify for stand-your-ground immunity, the shooter must demonstrate an immediate threat, a measure that doesn't appear substantiated in this context.
Madeira further articulated that private property, including front porches, remains accessible to the general public for legitimate purposes until they are instructed to leave. This legal principle underscores the boundaries around justifiable use of force in such cases.
