The Broward State Attorney’s Office says it will challenge a judge’s decision to grant “Stand Your Ground” immunity to three former Miami‑Dade Police officers involved in the deadly 2019 UPS shootout in Miramar.
Broward Circuit Judge Ernest Kollra on Monday dismissed all charges against officers Leslie Lee, Rodolfo Mirabal and Richard Santiesteban. The ruling marks the second time the court has granted immunity in the case; a fourth officer, Jose Mateo, received similar protection in a separate ruling last September. That earlier decision is already being reviewed by the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
Prosecutors pushed back immediately, arguing that the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law was never intended to shield law enforcement officers in situations where innocent bystanders were killed.
“Immunity from prosecution is not the same as a defense presented to a jury from this community,” the State Attorney’s Office wrote in a statement, emphasizing that neither of the victims posed a threat when they were shot.
The case stems from a December 2019 incident in which two armed suspects hijacked a UPS truck, prompting a high‑speed chase through multiple counties. The pursuit ended in Miramar, where officers and the suspects exchanged gunfire in a crowded intersection. UPS driver Frank Ordonez and nearby motorist Richard Cutshaw were caught in the crossfire and died at the scene.
During the immunity hearing in February, Lee was the only officer to testify. He told the court he repositioned his patrol vehicle to confront the hijacked truck as it stopped and admitted he had initially lied to investigators about firing his weapon. All three officers argued they acted in self‑defense amid rapidly unfolding gunfire.
The State Attorney’s Office says it intends to appeal all three of the new rulings, in addition to continuing its challenge of the earlier decision involving Mateo.