Whoopi Goldberg slams 'stand your ground' law in tearful View interview: 'This could be any one of you'
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Whoopi Goldberg took an impassioned stance against Florida's "stand your ground" law during a tear-filled interview on The View with the mother of a Black woman who was killed by her white neighbor's gunfire.
The talk show welcomed Pamela Dias, the mother of Ajike Owens, to Wednesday's episode, where the panelists interviewed her about the traumatic events that saw the mother of four shot and killed while her 10-year-old son stood nearby. The event allegedly unfolded after an exchange between Owens' children and Susan Lorincz, who was charged with manslaughter after she fired at Owens through a door when the 35-year-old mom reportedly knocked on her door to inquire about Lorincz's interaction with the kids.
ABC (2) Whoopi Goldberg and Pamela Dias on 'The View'
"There are no words. We are beyond broken up over your loss. We start with that," Goldberg told Dias at the top of the interview. Dias explained what happened to Owens, "a mother of four precious children," and lamented her death. "They have a grandmother, but they'll never feel their mother's arms, their mother's kisses, their mother's hugs," she said.
Dias began to cry when Goldberg turned to address The View audience.
"This is why you needed to know this story, because they were trying to slide it under the carpet," the 67-year-old actress implored. "It's important you know this story, because, you know what? This 'stand your ground' law? This affects everybody in this audience. This could be any one of you. Know that. It's a bad law, and we want to help get rid of it. This case, I hope, will finally shine the light on this."
According to local news, Lorincz has pleaded not guilty, and said that she acted in self defense under Florida's "stand your ground" law.
The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/PT on ABC.
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