Cantonment man convicted of murdering Pensacola activist over social media feud
The Office of the State Attorney announced Tuesday that a Cantonment man charged with the murder of a Pensacola activist in 2022 was convicted of his crime.
A panel of jurors found Charles Moore III guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting Durrell Dupree Palmer at a Circle K gas station on May 23, 2022,. The shooting occurred during a heated conversation that began on social media.
"Video of the encounter was captured by the store's surveillance cameras," an OSA news release said. "The video showed Durrell Palmer stop at the gas pump to initiate contact with Charles Moore, and then, after more than five minutes of intense discussion, Charles Moore suddenly pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Durrell Palmer four times in the torso at close range."
Prior to Moore's trial, his attorney motioned for Circuit Judge John Simon to dismiss the case based on Florida's "Stand Your Ground Law." However, Simon disagreed with the attorney and denied the motion for dismissal on those grounds.
After Palmer's death, local leaders praised various community projects he organized over the past several years like his Thanksgiving turkey giveaways, Easter egg hunts, job fairs and the Black Lives Matter mural stretched across A Street following George Floyd's death in 2020.
Palmer also received an award in 2021 from the Pensacola Branch 5124 of the NAACP for "outstanding contributions and excellent service."
Moore is scheduled for sentencing on July 11 where he faces up to life in prison for the murder.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola activist Durrell Palmer killer convicted of murder
