It was no game.
A Broward judge, the lawyers in his courtroom and a man accused of waving a gun to shut down a wedding reception at the venue he owns in Southwest Ranches all put on virtual reality headsets Tuesday as part of a hearing to determine whether charges against the defendant should be dismissed.
Miguel Rodriguez Albisu, 59, is charged with nine counts of aggravated assault with a firearm for pulling a gun on the guests attending a reception at Cielo Farms , a private venue Albisu owns. According to court documents, Albisu wanted a March 2023 wedding party cleared out by 10:30 p.m., but the guests believed they were entitled to stay until 11 p.m.
The later time would have run afoul of Southwest Ranches ordinances. According to defense lawyer Ken Padowitz, Albisu had been awakened by his son and wife, who told him they were physically attacked by angry wedding guests who were refusing to leave, some screaming threats and others “throwing chairs, breaking glasses and ripping door panels off walls.”