
Florida prosecutors drop charges in fatal Walmart parking dispute under stand-your-ground law
Broward County prosecutors have declined to charge Melissa Payne for the fatal shooting of Bart Diguglielmo in a North Lauderdale Walmart parking lot. The decision, announced on September 3, 2026, relies on Florida’s stand-your-ground statute, which requires the state to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the use of force was not justified. While Diguglielmo was unarmed, video evidence showed him repeatedly approaching Payne, leading prosecutors to conclude she acted in reasonable self-defense.











