Terrifying Truth Behind Netflix's 'The Perfect Neighbor'

The crux of this case, ladies and. gentlemen, is whether at the time she. fired her gun. at that closed, locked, deadbolted door, did she reasonably believe that her. conduct was necessary to prevent. imminent death or great bodily harm. against her? >> It is virtually impossible to convey all. of the ways Susan has devastated our. lives. >> The documentary film The Perfect. Neighbor is essentially the number one. program in the US on Netflix right now. And the Sundance Film Festival winner.

chronicles the case against Susan. Lawrence, the woman who shot and killed. her neighbor. And through body camera. footage and interrogation tapes, we are. seeing this picture. But what the film. didn't take a deep dive into was the. court case. So long crime, we covered. this trial gavel to gavel. We are going. to take you through powerful attorney. statements, critical witness testimony, and an emotional sentencing. Welcome to. Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm. Jesse Weber. Netflix's latest true crime documentary,

The Perfect Neighbor, is dedicated to. what it calls a Jaka AJ Owens legacy, her four children. The 35-year-old woman. was gunned down in her Marian County, Florida neighborhood on June 2nd, 2023. by her own neighbor, then 58-year-old. Susan Lawrence, lived across the street. from Owens and her kids. And the women. had some tense exchanges about where. many kids in the neighborhood were. allowed to play. You see, next to the. cluster of apartments where Lawrence had. rented, there was this empty grassy.

field. So, naturally, the kids. gravitated toward it, right? They played. tag, they threw footballs, they. generally acted like kids. But, as you. know, with rambunctious young kids comes. a lot of annoy. And apparently, Lawrence. didn't like that at all. So, despite. having no ownership of that open area, by the way, she was constantly scolding. the kids for playing there and being. loud. She also involved Marian County. deputies multiple times, calling to. report the kids that they were. trespassing or being a public nuisance. And in the months before the tension. between Lawrence and Owens came to a. head, Lawrence called 911 to report that.

Owens had thrown a no trespassing sign. at her. >> Work at home. I do insurance and the. kids are screaming and yelling. And so. it's very hard for me. And this is my. apartment here. When they're all here in. the front, it's really we can hear it's. loud. It's noisy. Kids around. their. kids. >> Yeah. >> But when they come on the side here, >> it I just can't hear my clients. >> and that's not fair to me. I understand. that, >> you know, right to have peaceful and. quiet. >> I understand.

>> I'm just I'm sorry. My heart's thumping. >> I just didn't know she was going to. actually get physical with me. >> or the sign. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> You know, and that's not cool. You don't. get physical. I mean, >> she just threw it. >> No, she she whipped it at me. I mean, she she hit me. >> Deputies, they spoke with Owens as well, whose frustration with this whole. situation was definitely palpable. >> It's funny because I'm the one that. never comes outside and says anything to. her. But today, I just happen to feel.

that. First of all, before she moved. there, this big open space right here, all the kids, they like to play. kickball, football in the space she. lives in. I don't want y'all playing. over private property, so they don't. play. >> Okay, fine. I told my kids. >> they're playing over. Okay, so we have a. dog and she's always taking pictures of. the kids. Oh, I'm going to come over and. have you guys arrested always. She's bad. kids. So, I told you over there, stay. away from their dog, whatever. So, we.

have a dog. The kids take the dog out. The other day she tells tells my son, "I'm going to have you arrested and. we're going to jail. He's eight, so he's. terrified. He won't even walk the dog. anymore.". >> Let her know all that. >> Okay. >> I. >> So, she's terrified. I won't even he. won't even walk the dog anymore. So I. have my 11-year-old take the dog out. now. So he's walking the dog on this. side. Now you live on this side. Okay. You don't want him over here. Fine. But. this is joint area. You can't tell them. They can't walk on this side. So there.

he's walking the dog and he's all the. way back towards the fence. I'm standing. here. Come on. She comes outside to go. to the car or something. She sees him. Oh, I told you I'm going to have you. arrested. I'm going to have you arrested. today. She has her phone out like she's. taking this picture or whatever. Now. he's trying to run back across the. street. So I said, "I'm sorry. What are. you saying to him?" And so I go over. there. >> So the baby, >> this is my private property. They can't. have the dog over here. I told her, first of all, he's not on your property. He's on this side. You don't own this.

And even if it was on the side, you. don't own this either. You're renting. this just like I over here just like. they rent over there. You don't own. this. You can't tell them technically if. they're not in your personal personal. space that they can't walk the dog or. even throw their football over here. >> And Owen's neighbors backed her up. >> This is just an open field. You know, it. belongs to both property. You know what. I'm saying? So, if the kids want to play. there, whatever. And that's that's what. I keep telling her. Hey, as long as you. don't get in her door, you don't start. throwing rocks, don't be cursing at her, it's okay. She can call the cops. whenever she wants. But and and I was.

trying to reason with her one day cuz we. were all playing here. you know, the. kids, everything jump. All right, let's. go. And she's like, hey, you know what? One day you guys are going to die. And. I'm like, and that's when I like, whoa. >> As we're covering this kind of story, I. will just say, even if you're not a. journalist, staying on top of what is. going on in the world is so important. But look, these days with all the media. bias, the mistrust, it can feel nearly. impossible to know what to actually. believe, right? But that is why I want. to introduce you to our sponsor, Straight Hour News. Okay, so Straight.

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10-year-old son, hitting his foot. And. when this boy ran away, he apparently. left behind a tablet, which Lawrence. reportedly took. While Owen's kids went. to tell their mom what had happened, Lawrence called 911, reporting to the. dispatcher that the child had threatened. to beat her up, that she was in fear for. her life because they were still. outside. Now, Owens, who was furious. that Lawrence had not only yelled again. at her children, but also threw. something at one of them. She goes. across the street. She starts banging on. Lawrence's door, demanding she open it.

up and speak with her. Instead, what. does Lawrence do? She fires a gun. through the locked metal door, hitting. Owens once in the chest. Owens. collapsed, was still showing signs of. life before she was rushed to the. hospital. But the hope that she might. survive, that was fleeting, and it led. to this just absolutely heart-wrenching. moment that was caught on body cameras. >> Today has been a very bad day. There's something bad that's happened.

and all y'all seen it. Y'all understand. it. Y'all experience it, right? >> Okay. Y'all love me. Okay. Y'all love mom. All right. Well, I. got some bad news to tell you. Mom is not coming back anymore. Come. Come. No. No. No. Come here. Come over. here. Listen to me. No. No. I know.

Okay. It's okay. I know. Okay. I know. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. >> I'm so sorry. [Music]. I am sorry. I'm so sorry. [Music]. >> Okay. It's all right. You guys are going to be. okay. [Music].

>> It's all right. You guys all right? >> Okay. >> I know this ain't easy.

>> I know. I know. Now, here's the thing. While Lawrence was detained that night, she was released. Yeah. She wasn't. formally arrested until several days. later. Something that caused uproar in. the community. And during that time, she. had multiple interviews with detectives. where they tried to get her side of the. story. >> So, what happened tonight that led to. the conclusion that. >> Well, I I just I'm like, "Kids, go. home." So, they go home and then all of. a sudden she comes out and she is just. banging on my door like, "Go away. I I'm. not not dealing with you tonight." And. then she started banging so hard.

everything starts shaking. I'm like you. really need to leave. And then she I'm. going to kill you. And she's just. banging banging away, you know. I'm like. this is crazy. Ever since she has. actually hardened me. I'm like this just. just keeps getting worse and worse. I'm. like I don't know what to do with her. that she bang so hard it looked like my. door was going to fly off. And that's I. just I panicked and I was like oh my god. she's really going to kill me this time. you know. And so I don't even actually. remember picking up the gun. I just. remember shooting. >> You haven't really seemed remorseful for.

today at least for what had happened. >> Oh god. I just It's making me it just makes me. sick. I I don't know. I can't take it. back. It's transpired. It's in the past. I don't know what the hell to do, you. know? It's just. probably be shutting down again. >> So, what happens? Lawrence was arrested. and charged with manslaughter with a. firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault. Owen's family. had actually wanted prosecutors to. charge her with seconddegree murder, but. according to reporting from US Weekly,

the DA's office said there was. insufficient evidence to prove murder. here. Now, Lauren, she went to trial in. August of 2024. WCJB reports that the. other charges were in fact dropped. So, all you had is the manslaughter charge. And she appeared, by the way, very. different, very different, having. apparently lost a significant amount of. weight since her arrest. Lawrence's. attorneys, they argued self-defense. This brought up a lot of conversations. about stand your ground in Florida, right? The stand your ground laws. We. know you don't have an obligation to.

retreat. You can stand your ground. You. can use deadly force if necessary. Well, prosecutor Adam Smith said during his. opening statement that firing a gun was. an incredibly reckless and unnecessary. thing to do here. The defendant goes. into her bedroom, grabs. the loaded firearm, then walks all the. way back out to the locked front door, and the police are on the way as she's. been told. She points at the door, fires one shot.

at the center of the door, shooting and. killing this object. >> But then you had the other side. you. Defense attorney Morris Coranza, who. argued that the commotion going on. outside Lawrence's door wasn't minor, it. was terrifying. >> Susan is sitting there. She has her. firearm. She's several feet away from the door. As Angel is pounding on that. door, pounding over and over for. minutes,

you'll hear testimony that there is a. cement wall right next to the door. And. it is. moving. It is shaking. So much so that. there is a mirror on that wall next to. the door and it's shaking as well. And you'll hear evidence. Susan's heart. is pounding. Pounding. The kind of. pounding that you feel that's so. powerful, that's so treacherous that you.

feel the heartbeat in your throat. That. banging on Lawrence's door is really the. crux of this whole case, right? How. intimidating was the knocking? What was. Owens yelling as she was banging on the. door? Well, one of the witnesses called. was a boy named Uriel, one of the. children who was in the neighborhood. that day and saw what happened. >> I remember her banging on the door. >> All right. Mom banging on the door. >> Yes. >> How was she banging? Can you describe. that? She was banging in a mad type of.

bang. She was like banging like pretty. hard. >> Okay. Do you remember. mom saying anything. >> while she was banging on the door? What. do you remember her saying? >> I remember her saying. >> I remember her saying, "Open up this. door.". >> Okay. Do you remember mom cussing at all. while she was at the door? >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. Do you remember what she was.

saying? >> Yes. >> Okay. What was she saying? >> She was saying. the B word. You know. >> the B. >> and the F word. >> Okay. Now, where was a mom banging on. the door? >> Kind of in the middle. >> In the middle. >> Yes. >> Okay. Did you ever see mom reach for the. door handle? >> No. Did you ever hear mom say, "I'm.

going to kill you?". >> No. >> And that's critical, okay? Because. witnesses have testified that they never. heard Owen say she was going to kill. Lawrence, which was one of the reasons. that Lawrence had claimed she was so. scared. During Uriel's cross-examination. by the defense, they really emphasized. that the confrontation was intense. >> And then after that, you started banging. on Susan's, Miss Susan's regular door, right? >> Yes. And she was banging really hard, wasn't. she? >> Yeah. Mad hard. Yes.

>> I'm sorry. >> Hard. Yes. >> And it was like bang bang bang hard. Right. >> Yes. >> And she was doing it with her fist. Right. >> Yes. >> And AJ was talking really loud as she. was banging and banging and banging on. that door. Correct. >> Yes. >> Her tone was a loud one and a mad one. Right. >> Yes. She was screaming, right? >> Yes. >> And where she was banging, she was.

banging in the middle of the door. Kind. of like where the door handle is, right? >> Objection or misrepresentation. >> Where was she? >> Hold on one second. Over the objection. You can answer the question if he knows. >> Okay. And she was banging in the middle. of the door, kind of like where the door. handle is. Correct. >> No, >> she wasn't. >> She was banging in. Not the middle where the door handle. was. Not like beside the door handle. Just the middle. >> Just the middle. Okay.

>> But in that area, that's when she's. banging with her fist, right? >> Yes. >> And. I know you don't want to curse. So, I'm. going to mention some words and then you. let me know. These are the words that. that you said. I know you don't want to. say it. I understand. And but we just we. have to know exactly the words she was. using. She was using the words, right? >> Yes. >> And Right. >> Yes. >> And she was saying things like this, right? >> Yes. >> And as I mentioned before, when that.

bullet flew through the door and struck. Owens, it hit her in the chest. And. according to body camera footage, she. stumbled a few feet from Lawrence's door. before collapsing. Witnesses tried to. help staunch the bleeding and keep Owens. conscious until paramedics could take. over. But you had a forensic pathologist. who testified about the absolutely. catastrophic nature of Owen's injuries. >> Can you describe to the jury the damage. that the projectile caused as it entered. her body and proceeded through it? >> Sure. So the projectile entered the.

right side of the chest. It then hit the. fourth rib after which it went through. her right lung. It went through the. heart. It went through the esophagus. It. also went through the aorta after which. it went through the diaphragm, the. spleen and it was recovered from the. left lower abdomen area. >> Now, as we know, everybody has the. opportunity to testify in their own. defense. Right. It's their right. And. while they can listen to attorney. advice, the decision whether or not to. take the stand is left up entirely to.

each individual defendant. Miss. Lawrence, have you discussed with your. attorneys the decision regarding whether. or not you will testify or not? >> Yes, I have. >> Do you need any additional time to. discuss that decision with them? >> Have they forced you to make a decision. in any way? >> No. >> Have you made a decision on your own? >> Yes, I have. >> Can you tell us what that decision is? >> I am not going to testify. >> You've made that decision freely and. voluntarily? >> Yes.

>> Okay. So, both the state and the defense. rested their cases and then they. delivered their closing arguments. >> She was angry the kids were being noisy. and she admitted to throwing the roller. skate like we saw in the photo a few. minutes ago. She told a 911 operator. that she was sick of the children. Her. words were, "They are bothering me. They. won't effing stop." She wasn't afraid. She was angry. You heard the tone of. that 911 call. The 911 call operator. asked, "Are you in danger?" And she.

said, "No, I locked my door.". She locked. locked her metal door. We know from her 911 call the main lock. was engaged. We know from her interview. with the detectives the dead bolt was. engaged. So at this time she is behind a. closed locked deadbolted metal door. Standard metal door about an inch and. 3/4 thick. She's behind that in her concrete block.

home. Miss Owens made it clear to the. defendant that she wanted the defendant. to come out and deal with this. situation. If Miss Owens wanted to get. into that house, all she had to do is. take something from the patio, one of. that little Santa thing that was sitting. there, throw it through the sliding. glass door, shatter the door, and get in. there. She didn't do any of that because. her goal was not to get in the house. It. was to get the defendant to come out and. deal with the situation with her. children. Even in the her even in the defendant's.

interview with the detectives, she was. he she was asked what was the first. thing that came out of Miss Owens's. mouth. And the defendant said, Miss. Owens first said, "I want to speak to. you because you're talking to my sons. I. don't like the way you're talking to my. sons.". >> If Susan Lawrence was in a dwelling in. which she had a right to be, she had no. duty to retreat. If you remember during. the trial, Mr. Smith had asked some of. the witnesses, "Did Susan shoot from way. back there by her bedroom? Did she shoot from behind that.

countertop or behind that kitchen?" It. doesn't matter. because she has no duty to retreat and. she can stand her ground when she is in. her dwelling. If she is faced with. imminent danger, another important part of this is if she. reasonably believed. she reasonably. believed. We do not judge Susan Lawrence. with what we in this courtroom have. experienced in life. It's not what I would do or Mr. Bucksman.

or Mr. Smith would do. in that circumstance. It's what Susan. Lawrence reasonably believed. was necessary to prevent. That's very important word prevent. >> It only took about two and a half hours. for the jury to come back with a. verdict. >> Verdict as account one. We the jury find.

as as account one of the charge. The. defendant is guilty of manslaughter. >> So what happens next? Well, ahead of her. sentencing, Lawrence met with a licensed. psychologist who testified at the. sentencing hearing in November of 2024. that Lawrence had PTSD after suffering. severe abuse and trauma during her. childhood. And this psychologist was. also asked about how Lawrence reacted to. the enormous consequences of her. actions. >> Was she very remor remorseful in regard. to Miss Owens and her passing away? to.

me uh she expressed uh especially in the. last the last two times that I saw her. that when she looks at this rationally. right she said to me I now realize that. she was like a mama bear taking care of. her kids and that's how I see her now. but that's not what I saw that day. >> Owen's mother who had been a powerful. voice in the call for justice in this. story gave a heartbreaking statement on. behalf of the family. >> my name is Pamela Das.

I am the mother of Ashika Owens. who was shot and killed by Susan Morren. I stand before you with the burden. of articulating and conveying the depth. of our grief and the trauma that Susan. Lorenz inflicted on our lives.

and to also share the devastating impact. that Susan caused. when she fatally shot my daughter Ashika. Owens on June 2nd of 2023. It is virtually impossible to convey all. of the ways Susan has devastated our. lives. Now, Lawrence may have chosen not. to testify in her own defense during the. trial, but she certainly had a lot to. say during sentencing, speaking for.

nearly 15 minutes. >> This woman kept coming after me, kept. coming after me. I had approached her. because I was uh worrying my plants and. she's going, "Oh, there's a crazy old. white lady." And I'm like, "You can't. just go around saying someone's crazy.". I mean, it was insanity. So, I went to. say something to her and she verbally. attacked me again. And she's like, "You. you've been calling my kids uh racist. names and stuff." I said, "No, ma'am, I. have not." And she kept getting angrier. and angrier. The more I said, "No." The.

angrier she got. So, finally, I said I I. was terrified. I mean, she went from a. very relaxed position position here. I. could see her neck being starting to. bulge. Her pulse is really getting, you. know, uh, fast. And I'm thinking, she's. going to beat the hell out of me right. here in the street. So, I said, "Listen, I'm sorry if that's what you think I. said. I'm very sorry. I, you know, I. don't mean to offend anybody. I didn't. say it, but I'm sorry. I went to walk. away and she's following one foot behind.

me the whole time to my apartment till I. slam the door in the face again. Never. had anyone do anything that apparent in. my life. >> Lawrence did finally get around to. apologizing to the people whose lives. she completely ripped apart. Well, maybe. I should say sort of apologized. I would. like to make a statement to AJ's mom, children, and friends. It is with heavy heart and great remorse. I write this letter to you. First and. foremost, I am so sorry that I that I.

took AJ's life. I never intended to kill her. The night. I shot that gun, I was confused as to why she was. screaming and pounding on my door. I had. an idea that told her I had hit him. I. could not understand why she was so. angry. and uh she she truly scared me. Now that. I know he told her I hit him. I am just.

profoundly sad. Um not only did a mother. die, but a daughter and a sister. I. think of your family's loss. and know. how hard it is to lose someone you love. Not being able to see that person, look. how that person or just talk to that. person is such an empty feeling. I so. wish I could go back and change things. so that she was still here. I would. trade my life.

so that she could be here um if were. possible. I know that you have all. suffered from her loss and I have prayed. for you and your family during this time. so that you can um that God could help. you. Nothing I can do will change the. outcome. I can only tell you I have. cried and I feel horrible for my. actions. Please accept my humble and. sincere apology for this tragedy. Judge. Robert Hodgeges didn't hold back as he.

considered what the punishment for Susan. Lawrence should be, what she deserved. for killing Owens. >> I look at the nature of the offense, you. know, I find that the shooting was. completely unnecessary in this case. Miss Lawrence was behind the door. The. door was locked. Um, she had already called law enforcement. They were in route. She knew they were. in route. She was in a relatively safe position. For some reason, she went into her room.

and uh found a gun. She could have stayed in the room and. put another locked door between her and. uh Miss Owens, but she came back out, put herself in front of the door. Um and. at the time she fired the gun through. the door, she she was safe. Miss Owens. was simply, although she was clearly. banging loudly and was probably very. angry over the whole situation. Appears to be she was mostly demanding.

that Miss Lawrence come outside, which. would indicate she had no indication of. coming inside the house. So when Miss Lawrence fired the gun. through the door, she did so knowing a. person was directly on the other side of. the door. So what I'm going to do in. this case is order is excuse me. adjudicated guilty of manslaughter with. a firearm order served 25 years in. department of corrections. credit for 538 days. It's $100 cost of.

prosecution $100 fine court cost. Good. luck to you, ma'am. You have 30 days to. appeal. >> Susan Lawrence is serving her sentence. at the Homestead Correctional. Institution in Homestead, Florida. She. did a prison interview, by the way, with. WCJB in September of this year. completely stuck to her story. That. includes the allegation that the boys. told her they were going to beat her up, that Owens had said she was going to. kill her. And by the way, as I. mentioned, these are statements that. witnesses said they did not hear. According to the Florida Department of. Corrections website, Susan Lawrence's.

release date is set for April 8th, 2048. And that's all we have for you right now. here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so. much for joining us. And as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple. Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should. get your podcasts. You can follow me on. X or Instagram. I'm Jesse Weber. I'll. speak to you next time. [Music].