How Lending A Friend Your Car, Then Going to Bed Can Land You a Life Prison Sentence

reply to post by onequestion


How many governors have been in office while this has occurred? What a sad and unforgivable story this guy has gone threw..

Land of the free?

You wanna see ineffective leadership just look at the governors that has served this state while this guy rots in prison..how terrible and what a waist of taxpayer money.

From what I have read, he totally knew that a felony was going to be committed by the people using his car. If that is indeed the case, he is guilty, though more as an accessory to the crime. If he knowingly lent support to a crime being committed, but didn't actually take part, he still enabled and supported it. It's like people who fund terrorism, knowing that their money is going to be used to kill innocent people is as guilty as the person who plants or detonates the bomb.

Now if this guy lent his car to his friends because they told him they needed to go see a sick relative or make it to a job interview, and he believed that is exactly what his friends were going to do with the car, then yeah, he would be innocent, because he was ignorant of their real intent, and had lent the car under the belief that the friends needed it for legit biz. Then yeah, I would be screaming brutal injustice and demanding justice for this guy, as that would have been totally wrong to convict him of a crime he played no knowing or willing part in.

But everything I read says the guy knew full well what the intended purpose of borrowing the car was, that he knew his friends planned on committing a crime, and by lending the car, was giving his blessing. Though I think a life sentance might be too much. Maybe 15 to 20 years, depending.

reply to post by 12m8keall2c

Put it this way...

A home invasion is already taking into consideration in the state of Florida that the family or owners of the home will be IN the home. It starts out as a Capital Offense.

Do you know what a Capital Offense is? Someone already suggested that you read up on the Florida law, I suppose that you may not have done that, as I did, and this information was readily available. Capital crimes are far, far more serious than what could be termed a "normal" felony, it is a Federal Crime. This means it is punishable by the Death Penalty.

en.m.wikipedia.org...(Florida)

If a person committing a predicate felony directly contributed to the death of the victim then the person will be charged with murder in the first degree - felony murder which is a capital felony. The only two sentences available for that statute are life in prison and the death penalty.

His foreknowledge that a Capital Crime was about to be committed, and his failure to report said crime, alone, makes him just as guilty as if he had been there. Add to that, the fact that he loaned his car to aide and abett the criminals in the commission of said crime, a Capital Offense, and he is in deeper than dirt. Not only did he know, he helped! So be it, from a distance, he still helped. Said crime, already a Capital Offense under Florida law, resulted in a death, yet another Capital Offense. Like I said in a previous post, he is lucky he did not get the death penalty.

Listed under the Felony Murder Rule for Florida:
Robbery or home invasion robbery

en.m.wikipedia.org...

"home invasion" is evolving to identify a particular class of crime that involves multiple perpetrators (two or more); forced entry into a home; occupants who are home at the time of the invasion; use of weapons and physical intimidation; property theft; and victims who are unknown to the perpetrators.

Also, it was asked why he was the only one that was offered a plea deal. That is also a simple answer. He was the only one who fought the charges.

ETA stuff

reply to post by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf

Though I think a life
sentance might be too much. Maybe 15 to 20
years, depending.

Well, under Capital Crimes, as this was, you will see in the post above this, the only sentencing available is Life sentene, or Death Penalty.

The Judge cannot just go and make up a sentence, and in this case, the person got what they deserved. He was offered a deal, and refused it. I can assure you, he was warned, repeatedly, that if he lost the case, what the worst case sentencing would be.

They are required, in court, on record, to notify you when you refuse a pkea bargain, what you maximum sentencing will be. He refused the deal and got maximum sentencing.

Had he taken the deal, he would be out by now.

You cannot change your mind and say, "You know, I think I will take that deal now..." What's done is done. It's usually a one time offer.

reply to post by LDragonFire


I am curious.

If he had loaned his car to a drunk friend who could barely walk, and that friend ran over a 16 year old in a crosswalk, would you feel the same?

This is the exact same thing. He knew a felony was going to take place. He knew his car was going to be used in the commission of that crime. He fought the charges and he lost.

What exactly is everyone up in arms about? A well written article? A quasi-fictional tale that showed only one side of a story? If you had read a similar piece written from the perspective of the parents of the murder victim, would you still say justice was not being served?

This is more a display of how society crashes to the ground and less about a damaged justice system.

I will agree that our "just-us" system in this country is broken. However, allowing men and women that commit this type of crime to walk free due to emotional arguments will lead to a further degradation of society not a repair of that justice system.

I live in Florida again, this type of thing does not surprise me at all...

The kid was being rather careless lending his car to anyone, but life without parole seems a tad harsh.

I meet a whole lot of people here in Florida who seem to be living in La La Land, have a hobby posting no trespassing signs everywhere and of threatening to shoot people for stepping on their lawn when they live on a busy street and are watering their sidewalk leaving pedestrians no place to go but on the grass...They think it has something with a law they spew as the "Stand your ground (don't step on my grass) law".

You can see why they are contemplating changing that law around a bit, yeah?.

I was dealing with some legal issues in 2004 where my lawyer suggested we take it to trial, my response was something to the effect that I was terrified of leaving my fate in the hands of a bunch of barely functional retarded people, She promptly fired herself and returned part of my money....?...really should have been all of it, but what ya gonna do when dealing with the truest and purest of exploitational criminals?.


A lot of local types of questionable morals like to say " Florida, come for vacation, leave on probation, return on violation of probation".

I wouldn't suggest coming here for any reason ever, I just got used to the nice weather - or - got old and can't take the cold anymore.

Avoid this place if you can, but if you can't avoid Florida be as close to invisible as you can, which once again makes the idiots nervous and sets you up foor problems if you get careless at all.

The kid was too trusting and a bit careless and a tad ignorant and is paying dearly for it.

I am sure there is more to it than in the article also...

reply to post by LDragonFire


AGREED.

I wonder how they'd handle a recall effort over the issue.

Hideous.

reply to post by onequestion


Just another of the many, many reasons not to move to Florida! They have some ignorant laws down there for sure! For those who have no choice in the matter I would say that the solution would be to never loan out your car no matter what the circumstances. Sad but necessary!

AstroRocks
Just another of the many, many reasons not to move to Florida! They have some ignorant laws down there for sure! For those who have no choice in the matter I would say that the solution would be to never loan out your car no matter what the circumstances. Sad but necessary!

There's nothing wrong with loaning your car to a friend, just don't loan it to a friend who says he's going to commit a felony.

Goteborg

AstroRocks
Just another of the many, many reasons not to move to Florida! They have some ignorant laws down there for sure! For those who have no choice in the matter I would say that the solution would be to never loan out your car no matter what the circumstances. Sad but necessary!

There's nothing wrong with loaning your car to a friend, just don't loan it to a friend who says he's going to commit a felony.

Problem with that is that the majority of people aren't going to be foolish enough to confess that they are about to commit a felony in your borrowed automobile lest you wouldn't lend it to them to begin with!

And in that case you'd be in the clear. After I read the OP I immediately searched for other articles about this because I just didn't believe that Holle had been charged for no reason and sure enough, he did know ahead of time. That entire group of friends sounds like a bunch of idiots to me but if the friend had just said that they were going to the store to get some Doritos Holle wouldn't be in jail right now/.

reply to post by onequestion


this is "DUMB"! wow!

reply to post by onequestion


I wonder if this law pertains to the police as well?

Goteborg

AstroRocks
Just another of the many, many reasons not to move to Florida! They have some ignorant laws down there for sure! For those who have no choice in the matter I would say that the solution would be to never loan out your car no matter what the circumstances. Sad but necessary!

There's nothing wrong with loaning your car to a friend, just don't loan it to a friend who says he's going to commit a felony.

Or, as I pointed out, a Capital offense. The chair.

He knew they were going to commit a home invasion. Capital offense in Florida. You could get the Death Penalty for that alone, if someone is injured or killed during the commission of that crime. And, as it turns out, that's what happened.

While this is not the case in all states, the point being, don't loan your car or anything for that matter, to someone who has admitted to you they are about to go commit a crime.

Try to talk them out of it, and if you can't, at least place an anonymous call to the police tip line. Seriously. We see how his friends 'got his back', right?

reply to post by Goteborg

Kind of leads one to think perhaps, since they were so comfortable discussing committing home invasions, and being agreeable with it, and even loaning vehicles to commit them - just perhaps this was not the first time this group of "friends" have committed such crimes.

Ya think?

voyger2
reply to post by onequestion

 

this is "DUMB"! wow!

edit on v20141410America/ChicagoMon, 14 Apr 2014 10:56:29 -05002 by voyger2 because: (no reason given)

Yes. Yes, it is.

Real DUMB.

reply to post by Libertygal


This thought had occurred to me too. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that Holle had benefitted financially from all of his friend's excursions with his car.

reply to post by onequestion


I read the details of the case expecting you to have omitted some important part that explains his life sentence, but nope, your OP is dead on. A travesty and utter BS. He needs to be pardoned ASAP and the Felony Murder Rule needs to be scrapped. He gave his roommates the keys to his car and went to bed. Now he is serving life in prison...Florida Prosecutors tried tog et him to take a plea bargain of 10 years, he chose to go to trial, thinking appropriately...WTF did I do? 10 Years?...they obviously felt POed he didn't just accept his unjust punishment and gave him LIFE...Just utter BS.

Indigo5
reply to post by onequestion

 

I read the details of the case expecting you to have omitted some important part that explains his life sentence, but nope, your OP is dead on. A travesty and utter BS. He needs to be pardoned ASAP and the Felony Murder Rule needs to be scrapped. He gave his roommates the keys to his car and went to bed. Now he is serving life in prison...Florida Prosecutors tried tog et him to take a plea bargain of 10 years, he chose to go to trial, thinking appropriately...WTF did I do? 10 Years?...they obviously felt POed he didn't just accept his unjust punishment and gave him LIFE...Just utter BS.

then you didn't read very well, he lent them the car after being told they were going to rob a durg dealer and that they might have to knock out a teenager, then he went to bed. he admitted to being told that.

Indigo5
reply to post by onequestion

 

I read the details of the case expecting you to have omitted some important part that explains his life sentence, but nope, your OP is dead on. A travesty and utter BS. He needs to be pardoned ASAP and the Felony Murder Rule needs to be scrapped. He gave his roommates the keys to his car and went to bed. Now he is serving life in prison...Florida Prosecutors tried tog et him to take a plea bargain of 10 years, he chose to go to trial, thinking appropriately...WTF did I do? 10 Years?...they obviously felt POed he didn't just accept his unjust punishment and gave him LIFE...Just utter BS.

what is with people? he knew his friends were going to use his car to commit a crime, he did nothing to stop it, he lent his car to them to do it.

do you really think people who know a crime was going to be committed not deserve punishment for not reporting it? he claimed he thought they were joking, that is an excuse a weak one.

honestly you people are so far down the rabbit hole that you apologize for criminals now.