What would you do if you’re headed home from the store empty-handed with your child, and while considering where else you all can go, a guy suddenly cuts you off in traffic. You decide to go back to the store while you’re still close, instead of waiting until later that evening when more people are likely to be drunk during the holiday weekend; but as you turn around, the same guy won’t let you get into the turning lane. When you speed up, he speeds up. When you slow down, he slows down. Your child starts to cry from his aggressive driving behavior. You realize you’re having a panic attack (PTSD related) as all of this happens simultaneously. Finally, you get in front of him. But the guy doesn’t go around you. BOOM. He rear ends you. You get out to check the damage, but before you can even see it, he’s already backing up. You think he’s going to ram your car again with your child inside. Instead, he points his car directly at you and drives forward. You barely avoid injury by putting your arms out to brace yourself for impact with this oncoming car. You’re screaming for him to stop. He backs up and comes at you again while shouting angrily. Your child is terrified. You think he’s going to continue trying to hit you with his car until he kills you. So you draw your weapon defend yourself. But now they say when you braced yourself, that was kidnapping. And when you defend yourself, that was murder. That he was “just trying to get away.” Then later you found out the reason he was so intent on leaving the scene he hit you with his car is because his license is suspended from a DUI and he’s out driving drunk again. What would you do?

Zacarius Pierre is being wrongfully charged with first degree murder after he and his daughter were hit, taunted, harassed, and chased by their assailant for several minutes. 

In the State of Arizona, first degree murder is defined as when — a person intends or knows that the person’s conduct will cause death, commits the act with premeditation, or kills as a result of kidnapping, robbery, child, molestation, arson, sexual assault, or escaping or fleeing from law-enforcement. 

Second degree murder is defined as when:

1. a person, intentionally or knowingly kills another person without premeditation or;
2. a person engages in conduct manifesting extreme indifference to human life or recklessly engages in conduct that creates a grave risk or cause of death. a

Pierre’s actions were not premeditated, reckless, or done with any indifference to human life. The unfortunate situation came

When self defense is justified in Arizona law:

1. Statue ARS 13-405 permits the use of deadly physical force when a person reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect themselves from another persons eminent use of unlawful deadly physical force. 
   
   
2. Statue 13-406 extends to cover the defense of a third person when it is reasonably believed that forced is necessary to protect someone else.
3. When physical force is immediately necessary to protect themselves against the others use (or attempted use) of unlawful physical force
4. If the person provoked the others use (or attempted use) of physical force
5. If a person withdrawals from the encounter or clearly communicates their intent to withdraw from the encounter while reasonably believing they cannot safely withdraw from the encounter
6. the person attempts (or continues to use) unlawful physical force against the person.
7. Arizona Revised Statute §13-404. The law states that, “a person is justified in threatening or using physical force against another when and to the extent a reasonable person would believe that physical force is immediately necessary to protect himself against the other's use or attempted use of unlawful physical force.”
8. The Castle Doctrine, Arizona Revised Statute §13-411(D), allows the occupants of a residence, a business, or a place that the occupant has a legal right to be there to use a reasonable force or a deadly force to protect themselves from being harmed by an intruder inside the home, on the person’s property, or a conveyance of any kind.

Pierre is a loving father and respected veteran who protected himself and his daughter from the ongoing attacks of their assailant. By signing this petition, it helps Pierre receive a fair trial and gives his a daughter a chance to see her father again.