BY IRIS B. HOLTON
Sentinel City Editor

Several people have admitted to taking the life of another during a confrontation that turned violent. However, many of them were never held accountable for their actions.

Kerlin Adelson is all too familiar with the “Stand Your Ground” law. A man armed with an ice pick stabbed his son, Wathson Adelson, in the head last year. He died three weeks later, never regaining consciousness.

Alcisviades Polanco, 62, never saw a jail cell or a courtroom in connection with the case.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, on November 21, at 9:30 a.m., two vehicles were traveling on Manhattan Avenue when the 1994 Honda Accord driven by Adelson, accelerated and passed the 1995 Hyundai Accent, driven by Polanco.

Adelson allegedly slammed on breaks, blocking traffic after passing the car. Witnesses told police that Adelson then walked back to Polanco’s car and the two became engaged in a verbal argument.

At some point, the argument turned physical and Polanco armed himself with an ice pick. He then stabbed Adelson in the head and arm with the ice pick.

Kerlin Adelson said his son was returning home after dropping his girlfriend off to work. “I was told that my son was walking to get in his car and someone saw him fall to the ground. He was stabbed in the left temple and the ice pick exited the middle of his nose. He was also stabbed in his arm twice. “I want justice for my son.”

Adelson’s son died nearly three months before George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin in Sanford in February 2012.

Adelson wants to raise awareness about his son’s death. He has made posters and hopes to raise community awareness. He said the family is trying to organize a rally as well.

A native of Haiti, Wathson moved to Tampa as a youngster. He graduated from Middleton High School, where he played football. His father said he had gotten a full scholarship to college. However, after his son was born, Wathson returned to Tampa. At the time of his death, he was attending Hillsborough Community College, where he was majoring in Criminal Justice. He was working as a cashier at the University of Tampa.

Adelson was among those who crowded into Beulah Baptist Institutional Church on Thursday for the town hall meeting on the “Stand Your Ground” law.

A spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute the case.