If you’ve just finished watching The Perfect Neighbor on Netflix, you’re probably still reeling from it. It’s raw, it’s heartbreaking, and it leaves you questioning how something so senseless could happen, all because of one controversial law.
The film focuses on the death of Ajike “AJ” Owens, but sadly, her story isn’t the only one. The same law, known as “stand your ground”, has been linked to hundreds of deaths across America. And just like AJ’s case, so many of them started with nothing more than fear, misunderstanding, or prejudice.
via Netflix
So, what exactly is this law?
“Stand your ground” removes the legal duty to retreat when facing a perceived threat. In simple terms, if a person believes their life is in danger, they can use deadly force, even if they could have safely walked away. It was originally based on the idea that “a man’s home is his castle,” but now it extends into public spaces too. It’s supposed to protect people acting in self-defence, but in practice, it has often ended in tragedy.
So, here are three other stories that show just how devastating this law can be.
1. Ralph Yarl — Shot for ringing the wrong doorbell
As reported by CBS News, in April 2023, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl went to pick up his younger twin brothers from a friend’s house in Kansas City, Missouri. But he accidentally went to the wrong address.
He rang the doorbell, something anyone could do by mistake, and moments later, the homeowner, 85-year-old Andrew Lester, fired through the glass door. Ralph was shot once in the head and once in the arm.
Miraculously, he survived. But the shooting left him with lasting injuries and trauma that no teenager should ever have to carry. Lester, who is white, told police he was “scared to death” when he saw Ralph, a Black teenager, at his door. He believed he was protected under Missouri’s self-defence laws.
Lester was later charged with first-degree assault but avoided a full trial after pleading guilty to a lesser charge in 2025.
2. Ahmaud Arbery — Hunted down while out for a run
In February 2020, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery went for a jog through a quiet neighbourhood in Georgia. He never made it home.
Three white men, Gregory and Travis McMichael, a father and son, and their neighbour, William “Roddie” Bryan, chased him down in their pickup trucks, believing he matched the description of a local burglary suspect. They cornered him, and Travis McMichael shot him dead.
Ahmaud was unarmed, simply jogging down the road. For more than two months, no one was arrested. It wasn’t until a video of the killing was leaked online that the world saw what really happened, and demanded justice.
The men claimed they were acting in self-defence, but the court didn’t buy it. All three were convicted of murder in 2021 and sentenced to life in prison.
3. Markeis McGlockton — Killed for defending his partner
In July 2018, 28-year-old father Markeis McGlockton stopped at a convenience store in Clearwater, Florida, with his girlfriend and young children. While they were inside, a man named Michael Drejka started arguing with his girlfriend over a disabled parking space.
When Markeis came out and saw what was happening, he stepped in to defend her. He pushed Drejka to the ground, but instead of walking away, Drejka pulled out a gun and shot Markeis in the chest.
Markeis was unarmed. He stumbled back into the store and died in front of his family.
At first, the local sheriff refused to arrest Drejka, saying Florida’s stand your ground law prevented it. The decision caused outrage. It took nearly a month before Drejka was charged, and a year later, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
via Netflix
Each of these stories has something in common: Ordinary moments that turned deadly, because someone believed they were under threat. That’s the problem people have with stand your ground. It’s not just about self-defence; it’s about perception. And in a country already divided by race and fear, that perception isn’t always equal.
As The Perfect Neighbor shows so painfully, this isn’t just a legal issue, it’s a human one.
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