New Trial In 2010 Valrico Park Slaying

 

An elderly man doing eight years in prison for killing another man during an argument over whether skateboarding was allowed in a Valrico park will get a new trial.

The Second District Court of Appeals has ruled that 75 year old Trevor Dooley did not get competent legal representation at his trial.

The court points to an oversight by his lawyer where he did not point out an obvious mistake in instructions given to the jury by the judge.

Dooley claims he shot 41 year old David James in self-defense.

He is now 18 months into his sentence for aggravated manslaughter in the 2010 slaying.