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Judge to decide in Brevard County 'stand your ground' hearing

A judge is now weighing testimony he has heard over the past few days in a 'stand your ground' hearing for William Woodward.

Woodward took the the stand again Friday in the hearing.

Woodward's attorneys tried to convince a judge that he should not go to trial for the Labor Day 2012 shooting that killed Gary Hembree and Roger Picior. Another man, Bruce Blake, was seriously injured.

Thursday when he testified, Woodward said threats of arson, rape and murder were made against his family.

Woodward told the court his family was planning to move before the shooting happened.

Prosecutors said Woodward fired 31 rounds at the three unarmed men.

Woodward claims he heard the men he shot saying, "Let's get together and do this." He believed they had weapons.

Woodward testified that they would have to "step over his dead body to do it."

He also testified that he did not know that Hembree, Picior and Blake were unarmed at the time he opened fire.

"What did you think they were about to do?" the attorney asked.

"I was not going to let them get to my family," Woodward replied.

Prosecutors raised questions about some of Woodward's first comments to police. In particular, how he referred to himself as a soldier and his neighborhood as a battlefield.

Woodward said he did what he did to ensure they were no longer a threat.

The judge said he would let attorneys know if he has a decision at 4 p.m. this afternoon. He could take a few more days to decide.

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