Fl v. Marissa Alexander

What happens when someone fires a warning shot—and it costs them their freedom? In this episode of Degrees of Guilt, we examine the case of Marissa Alexander, a Florida woman who fired a single shot to keep her estranged husband away—and was sentenced to 20 years in prison under the state’s mandatory minimum laws. No one was injured. No one was killed. And yet, the system responded with one of the harshest penalties available. This case forces a deeper question: when someone believes they are protecting themselves, where does self-defense end—and criminal liability begin? We explore how Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law intersected with domestic violence, prosecutorial discretion, and public perception. Why was the same defense that protected others denied here? What role did timing, location, and narrative framing play in the outcome? And more importantly—what does guilt look like when intent, fear, and law collide? Because in cases like this, the issue isn’t always what happened— it’s how the story is told, who is believed, and who is held accountable.