PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A new motion has been filed in the Michael Drejka case requesting to disqualify prosecutors and appoint a special prosecutor in the case.

Drejka is the man accused of manslaughter in the shooting death of Markeis McGlockton outside of the Circle A Convenience store in Clearwater on July 19, 2018.

In the 29-page motion, Michael Drejka’s attorney John Trevena claims State Attorney Bernie McCabe of the Sixth Judicial Circuit was forced to file the manslaughter charge in the case due to political and racial pressures. 

Trevena points to Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri saying numerous times he would not charge Drejka in the case because he believed Drejka was standing his ground and shot McGlockton in self-defense.

For this reason, Trevena requested the special prosecutor be someone who doesn’t have an ongoing relationship with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, since Gualtieri and the state attorney disagreed on how the case should be handled. 

When the case was handed over to the state attorney’s office, after numerous rallies pushing for an arrest, State Attorney Bernie McCabe filed the manslaughter charge.

Motion reveals new information 

The motion for the appointment of a special prosecutor is expected to be heard in court on August 2, two weeks before Drejka’s trial is expected to begin, according to court records. 

The motion revealed new information, including that Drejka has a hand disability and that his late ex-wife was disabled, which was the reason he was concerned about McGlockton’s girlfriend parking in the disabled parking spot outside the convenience store.

The state attorney’s office said Drejka never told deputies about a hand injury when questioned about his health and also never mentioned an ex-wife. 

Trevena also argued in the motion that a special prosecutor was needed because Markeis McGlockton’s father, Michael, allegedly made a death threat toward Drejka outside of court on June 7 in front of an assistant state attorney, allegedly telling Drejka that “his face would be the last face he sees.” 

Trevena said no charges have been filed against Michael McGlockton for the alleged death threat, which he considered to be felony assault. 

Trevena concludes in his motion that the state attorney’s office is conflicted and should be disqualified from prosecution. 

Meanwhile, a member of the state attorney’s office, Assistant State Attorney Scott Rosenwasser, said “no prosecutor witnessed anything at all between Drejka and the father.”

Rosenwasser identified himself as the assistant state attorney Trevena referenced in the motion and said he came after the fact. Rosenwasser also said “there’s no felony assault for exchanging angry words with [someone].”

Rosenwasser said the state attorney’s office would be addressing inaccuracies in the motion in upcoming days.