Brandon Baker Benefit Concert Raises Money, Awareness

Eleven-year-old Seraphina Lindsay heard If I Die Young on the radio shortly after her mom told her about her older half-brother's death. "Sera" decided to sing the moving ballad about young life cut short at Brandon Baker's funeral.

Sera sang the song again at a benefit Sunday at Rudy's Sports Bar in Largo, to help raise money for the Palm Harbor resident's funeral expenses and to raise awareness about the state's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law.

Brandon Baker, 30, was shot dead March 6 in front of his twin brother, Chris, on a road leading to their Boot Ranch apartment complex in East Lake, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

On Sunday, the music, T-shirts with his image and photos displayed around the bar reflected how much Brandon's family and friends miss him. His divorced parents, Bonnie and Kevin Lindsay, sang a rendition of Sweet Child O' Mine with the lyrics changed to reflect attributes of Brandon, such as his green eyes. The Lindsays and daughter Brandi Baker embraced teary-eyed on stage at the end of the heartfelt song.

Kevin Lindsay, lead singer of My D'Vice, helped line up seven bands, including his own, to perform at the benefit.

"I've performed in many benefits. You never hope you are going to need a benefit for yourself. I knew I had a large supportive group who would volunteer," Kevin Lindsay said.

Brandon's younger sister Sera shared how she misses hanging out at Brandon's place and how they always used to eat six-packs of sugar cookies together. She's calm and reflective as she talks about the big brother she remembers as always being happy.

"I do care. I don't go around, all woe as to me. He wouldn't want that. I guess I am more angry at this point," Sera said.

Brandon's girlfriend, Amy Marcellus, also misses him very much. Tears welled up as she thought about Brandon.

"I miss everything: his laugh, his voice, his sense of humor. He was so funny. He had the biggest heart. He was always trying to do little things for me," Marcellus said.

Marcellus misses all the little kindnesses. She and Brandon dated for five years; they met through a girlfriend of Brandon's twin, Chris.

"One time, my dog was having seizures and was very sick. He knew how upset I was, so he went out and got a pink and white dress for the dog to cheer me up," Marcellus said.

The Roadside Shooting

The state attorney's office is now investigating the shooting, which a sheriff's detective told Baker's father appeared to be a "stand your ground" case. The controversial Florida law allows people to protect themselves when they have a reasonable fear for their lives.

For 30 years, the Baker twins were virtually inseparable. Chris' hope is for his brother's name to be cleared.

"He was being stalked. We were almost in our neighborhood. My brother wasn't in the wrong. We were going home. He was following my brother's truck," Chris Baker said.

The twins had gone in Brandon's truck to the New Port Richey sports bar where Marcellus worked so Brandon could meet her boss. Marcellus had driven Brandon's BMW to work. On the way home (the twins and Marcellus shared an apartment), Chris helped Marcellus with the driving, Chris Baker said.

The man who shot Brandon Baker is a 23-year-old security guard named Seth Browning. Browning was off duty at the time of the shooting and told detectives he followed Baker to get his license tag information because he was concerned about his driving. Baker, who was unarmed, was shot and killed during the confrontation that took place on a road leading to Baker's apartment. Browning says he fired because Baker hit him and continued to go after him after he sprayed Baker with pepper spray .

The 'Stand Your Ground' Law

Family members expressed anger and frustration with the controversial stand your ground law.

"I understand innocent until proven guilty, but aren't we going to get that chance? I don't disagree with self defense. I think you should have to prove that there weren't other options. That your life was in danger. It's a scary law," said Brandi Baker, Brandon's older sister, who lives in New Port Richey.

"I think (the law) needs to be tweaked a bit. I just don't think it's a good law. What part isn't your ground?" said Chris Baker.

"Stand your ground is very open-ended. It's literally a license to kill," Marcellus said. She hopes authorities "give Brandon a voice in a court of law. ... If anybody looks at the evidence, there's no way this guy should be on the streets."

Brandon's father, Kevin Lindsay, said the intense media publicity around the death of Trayvon Martin has helped raise awareness for Brandon's case and possible changes to the law.

"It's like following a big truck on the highway. The vacuum from the truck sucks you along with it," Kevin Lindsay said.

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