stand her ground against an abusive husband.

Jacksonville woman sentenced to 20 years in prison in 'Stand Your Ground' controversy

As expected a judge sentenced Marissa Alexander to a state-mandated term of 20 years in prison Friday despite her claim she had no choice but to stand her ground against an abusive husband.

What wasn't expected was a musical protest during the proceedings and a heated discussion that took place afterward between U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and State Attorney Angela Corey

Alexander, 31, was convicted in March of three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in an August 2010 shooting. 

Alexander has maintained her innocence, saying she fired only a "warning shot" when confronted by her attacking, threatening husband, 36-year-old Rico Gray.

Several of Alexander's family and friends spoke during the hearing, criticizing "the system" for not protecting her and begging Circuit Judge James Daniel to show her mercy. 

But the judge said Florida's "10-20-Life" statutes take any discretion he might have afforded her out of his hands.

Daniel's words came moments after a group of young protesters from Dream Defenders, an equal rights organization, suddenly broke out into a melody, singing "We who believe in justice will not rest." 

Daniel had the group removed from his courtroom and from the courthouse entirely.

Following the proceedings, Brown said Corey overcharged Alexander, labeling the case "institutional racism."

"How many times have they accepted Stand Your Ground if the person that was asking for it was black?" Brown asked. "You tell me."

Brown said she has the best domestic violence attorney looking into it as well as other prejudicial outcomes against blacks.

Brown and Corey then came face-to-face in a discussion that for the most part consisted of Brown speaking and then Corey being interrupted by her and Alexander's supporters.

Corey, however, was able to explain some of the details to the Jacksonville congresswoman, who said she had only recently learned about the case.

"When she [Alexander] discharges a firearm in the direction of human beings, the Legislature says it's dangerous," Corey told Brown. 

"And one of the reasons is because the bullet went through the wall where one of the children was standing. It happened to deflect up into the ceiling, but if it had deflected down it could have hit one of the children."

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