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'''Brandon Michael Ward''' is a U.S. Marine charged with secondfirst-degree murder and attempted secondfirst-degree murder for a [[June 25]], [[2006]] incident in which he stabbed two men, [[Joey Joe Hall]] and [[Joseph Joey Ruinato]]. Hall died from the injuries.

According to testimonyOn the night before the incident, Ward had been kicked out of a party in , 20, was at an [[East Milton]] for allegedly attacking party with his 16-year-old girlfriend, [[Samanta Samantha Sparling]]. After being comforted by others at the party, (Ward met Sparling when he was in San Diego for basic training. When Ward was driven transferred to northwest Florida, Sparling moved into her [[Munson Highway]] home by Ruinatomother's house in Milton, Hall and another teenage girl. where Ward's car was present when they arrived. He stabbed both men three times with a butterfly knifestayed on weekends.)

At the [[June 24]] party, the two became separated; Ward fought and wrestled with other attendees, while Sparling became the subject of aggressive sexual advances by one of the party's hosts, [[Nick Cote]]. According to Sparling's testimony, she "gave in" to the advances because "it felt good."<ref name="teen">"Teen changes story." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 22, 2007.</ref> When Ward discovered the pair engaged in a sex act, he became enraged. Sparling told people that Ward struck her; she later testified this was a lie to conceal her embarrassment. Ward was forcefully chased from the party by several attendees who thought he hit Sparling. Ward testified that, as he drove to Sparling's home, he received several threatening phone calls from partygoers.<ref name="scared">"I was scared to death." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 23, 2007.</ref> After being comforted by others at the party, Sparling was driven to her [[Munson Highway]] home by Ruinato, Hall and another teenage girl. When they arrived, Ward's car was present. A fight ensued, during which Ward produced a butterfly knife and stabbed both Hall and Ruinato three times. Ward's defense has portrayed the fight as instigated by Hall and Ruinato, while the prosecution claims the stabbings were unprovoked. Ward's trial began on [[May 14]], [[2007]]. His defense attorney, [[Leo Thomas]], has stated he will invoke Florida's "[[Stand Your Ground]]" law, passed on [[October 1]], [[2005]]. (The incident occurred , as Ward regularly stayed at Sparling's house, but Ward regularly stayed there on weekends.) According to Thomas, "This is a tragedy for everyone involved. There's no question about it. But the evidence will show it was an honest case of self-defense."<ref>"'I thought he punched me.'" ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 16, 2007.</ref>