Justice for DJ Broadus
On February 3, 2018, DJ Broadus, a 31-year-old father, brother, son, cousin, nephew, uncle and resident of Jacksonville, Florida, died after being shot in the head four times — twice in the mouth and twice in the neck — by Gardner Kent Fraser, 29 in Macclenny, Florida. Despite Gardner admitting to killing DJ homicide charges have not been brought against Gardner. Due to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law Gardner is given the assumption by the law that he acted in self defense when he murdered DJ. Unless the state of Florida can prove otherwise Gardner will serve no punishment for murdering DJ.
DJ was killed on property belonging to Southern State Nurseries, Inc, a business long owned by Gardner Fraser’s family. DJ’s killer Gardner, the son of recently retired Baker County Deputy Sheriff Ryan T. Fraser, has merely been found guilty in Baker County for Tampering With Evidence after killing DJ. At the time of the murder DJ and Gardner were the only two people at Southern State Nursery.
On the day of the incident DJ, an alleged friend and former intimate partner of Gardner, was unarmed when he was shot in the head. Despite DJ being found dead in a defense position and Gardner disappearing DJ’s cell phone after the killing, Gardner maintains that he killed DJ in self-defense. Gardner is not only protected by the law, he is a member of the well connected Fraser family. Gardner’s great uncle J. E. Fraser was a leader within the Florida Ku Klux Klan and his great grandfather an elected State representative.
The family and community believe there is overwhelming evidence and reason to believe that Gardner Fraser did not act in self-defense on February 3rd, 2018 and should have at many moments de-escalated the violence used that led to the death of DJ. The community believes that only through a coordinated and sustained public pressure campaign will DJ and DJ’s family find justice in this wrongdoing.
To support the efforts of the community and family of DJ Peacebuilding Connections has coordinated family and community phone conferences, organized town halls, produced a series of direct actions including a march in Baker County Florida and a 44,000 signature petition drop to Florida States Attorney William Cervone.
In the Media
The Mysterious Killing of D.J. Broadus by Michael Harriot, The Root, February 20, 2018
Family Of Florida Man Killed In Execution-Style Shooting Demands “Honest” Police Investigation by Latifah Muhammad, Vibe News, February 23, 2018
After Killing Black Man and Destroying Evidence, Florida Man Claims 'Stand Your Ground,' Gets 1 Year in Jail by Michael Harriot, The Root, January 25, 2021
“Florida has, to me, a bizarre and inappropriate self-defense law called Stand Your Ground, a part of that law basically tells law enforcement officers: you may not arrest unless you can disprove that defendant or potential defendant was acting under Stand Your Ground… It is a stupid law they enacted over 10 years ago. People walk away from all kinds of things because of this stupid law.”
Listen to original reporting by Bob Schlehuber of Peacebuilding Connections. This report was published by Sputnik News in Washington, D.C.
