A Notice of No Information has been filed in the matter of Matthew DANLER who was charged with one count of Shooting into a Vehicle (F2) and two counts of Aggravated Battery (F3), for a September 1, 2016 incident in Oviedo. Danler, an Oviedo patrol officer at the time, was responding with two other officers to a call for help on Sharon Court when he fired into a vehicle fleeing from the area.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigated the incident, interviewed the occupants of the car, and reviewed Danler's body cam video. Those findings were presented to a Grand Jury who determined that Danler was not justified in the use of force, and indicted him on the three felony charges.

In preparation for a Stand Your Ground hearing, defense attorneys presented the findings of expert witness Chris Lawrence (Elgin Security Consultants) who reported "Danler’s conduct was justified and objectionably reasonable." The State obtained the opinion of a second expert, Roy Bedard (RRB Systems International). Based on his review of the body cam video, reconstruction of the event, and human reaction motor response times, Bedard concluded that Danler's actions "were motivated as an effort to stop the motor vehicle from charging in his direction rather than intended to batter anyone inside." Further "Danler’s decision-making, suggested that he was in imminent jeopardy of being run over."

To prevail in a Stand Your Ground hearing, the State must show clear and convincing evidence that the defendant was not in danger, and had no reasonable fear of great bodily harm or death. Based on the reports of Bedard and Lawrence opining that the defendant reacted out of fear when he shot the victim, prosecutors had no reasonable expectation of disputing the defendant's claim that this was a justified use of deadly force.

Todd Brown
Public Information &
Communications

(321) 617-7310
Office of the State Attorney
18th Judicial Circuit
2725 Judge Fran Jamieson
Way Building D
Viera, Fl. 32940