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Melissa Payne will not face criminal charges for shooting Bart DiGuglielmo during a Florida parking lot dispute

The Broward County State Attorney’s Office determined that Melissa Payne will not face criminal charges for fatally shooting 62-year-old Bart DiGuglielmo during a parking dispute at a North Lauderdale Walmart on June 30. Prosecutors ruled that Payne was legally justified in using deadly force under Florida’s "stand your ground" law, which protects individuals who reasonably fear imminent death or great bodily harm. During the encounter, DiGuglielmo allegedly left his vehicle in a traffic lane before entering the store, leading to a dispute with Payne over the same parking space. After DiGuglielmo returned to the parking lot, he reportedly moved toward Payne’s vehicle while she was inside with her family. Witnesses and video evidence showed DiGuglielmo aggressively approaching Payne, who repeatedly warned him to stop. Payne eventually fired a single shot, striking DiGuglielmo in the abdomen. While the state attorney's office concluded that the evidence did not prove Payne was in the right, it could not disprove her claim of self-defense by clear and convincing evidence. The family of Bart DiGuglielmo expressed disappointment with the decision, arguing that since DiGuglielmo was unarmed, property damage threats did not justify deadly force.

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