Everett Anthony Tate, 55, died from gunshot wounds after a domestic altercation at a residence on West 22nd Plaza in Panama City, Florida, on December 30, 2018. The confrontation involved Tate and his brother-in-law, Jeffery Bleakley, and began when Tate was told he had to move out. Bleakley left the house, returned shortly after to check on his family’s safety, retrieved a .22 caliber pistol from his vehicle, and then shot Tate multiple times. Tate was found unresponsive, face down in the yard, with pillow fibers embedded in his wounds, a detail that has figured in testimony.

Bleakley was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder. The defense sought dismissal under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, arguing Bleakley acted in self-defense; the defense said Tate was unarmed but holding a large pillow. The prosecution maintained deadly force was not justified because Tate did not pose an immediate threat. Witnesses including Panama City Police officers and the Chief Medical Examiner testified as the legal dispute over the charges proceeded.