Teen turns down plea deal for 25 years in prison, gets 65 years instead

a reply to: underwerks

Maybe some perspective could be gleaned by the sentencing of the other three who TOOK THE DEAL! Seriously, how far will you go in defending criminality?

originally posted by: Zelun
a reply to: TinySickTears

That's a lot of edits, friend, for your reply to remain barely legible. When he was smiling, the full impact of his actions still had not registered in his mind. I think that's the context you're missing. He still thinks he's getting off on a technicality. He isn't, for the record.

the edits were for me to delete my lines laughing and calling your post bull# if you must know.

not understanding the full impact of his actions is not the same thing as expecting to go in and get an education and come out decades later to become a 'made man' there tony soprano

a reply to: Xtrozero

I don't think he deserves imprisonment for the decisions of his friend or the consequences issued to said friend by an officer. Seems very heavy handed and draconian.

a reply to: TinySickTears

You are an ugly person, with ugly sensibilities. A kid died. We tried to give this other kid a break. Are you even American? Laws are laws! Play stupid games, I beg you.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Xtrozero

I don't think he deserves imprisonment for the decisions of his friend or the consequences issued to said friend by an officer. Seems very heavy handed and draconian.

he shot at the police officer and his "friend" died because the office shot back

65 years is crazy though maybe like involuntary manslaughter

a reply to: burdman30ott6

He made a decision when he chose to rob other people, and he also made a decision to not take a plea deal offered on a silver platter. He made his own bed.

a reply to: Xtrozero

is it fair ?? no but is it fair for innocent people to suffer when people break in and cause hell in their lives cause they feel they deserve your hard earned stuff. Play stupid games win stupid prizes

a reply to: Zelun

To clarify, I have no issue with locking him up for burglary and anything else they can lay on him, but murder seems to be a push here.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

And I get that. But the sentencing is insulated from the charges in the American justice system, to a certain extent. The circumstances here were that he plead guilty to murder(which the law supports, the killing occurred during the commission of a crime) and he would receive more lenient punishment. He took the road less traveled, and it made all the difference. The other three kids took the deal, and have yet to be sentenced. I expect they receive lighter sentences, based upon their PERCEIVED capacity for rehabilitation. Thumb your nose at authority all you want, but it's you who receives the short end of the stick, let me tell you. And that's what this story is about: the kid turned down a plea deal, and got the business end. Maybe he had a # lawyer, maybe he's got # for brains, or some combination thereof. I don't know. All I see is justice served.

Only thing that is odd about this case to me is that the state chose to charge him with murder because his accomplice died in the shoot out. I mean, who cares the accomplice got killed? Murder? Does seem a bit out of left field. Kind of like stretching the intent of the law to purposely throw the book at the guy.

It is one thing if say they are driving a get away car and cause an accident resulting in a by standers death. I can see charging them all with murder.

Only thing that is odd about this case to me is that the state chose to charge him with murder because his accomplice died in the shoot out. I mean, who cares the accomplice got killed? Murder? Does seem a bit out of left field. Kind of like stretching the intent of the law to purposely throw the book at the guy.

It is one thing if say they are driving a get away car and cause an accident resulting in a by standers death. I can see charging them all with murder.

Guy turned down his 25 year plea deal, which seems fair for being a burglar, running with a gang, and trying to kill a cop. Doesn’t matter he didn’t pull the trigger and I’m sure he made no effort to stop the other criminal shooting at the cops.

They offer plea deals for a reason...

a reply to: Xtrozero

Fair? IMHO, no. If the kid did not personally murder anyone, then why is he being penalized as such?

Yes, I understand the sentencing is there to dissuade possible perpetrators. Don't hang around with trouble or you will get it too just by being there.

Not sure if that is the right road.

a reply to: Xtrozero

Well, he was 15 at the time, so this seems excessive. But the kid did fire shots at the cops too. There was no way they weren't going to try to nail him to the wall. But... (again), so this kid goes to jail for murder for the guy the cops shot. It's sick really.

originally posted by: Xtrozero
65 years

So this black kid who was 15 at the time was in a group of 5 that broke into two houses. They fled the police and one of them named Washington had a .38 and fired at the police who ended up being killed by the police.

This seems like a typically event with no real surprises here.

The surprise is Lakeith Smith, now 18 one of the members in the group ended up with sentence to serve back to back: 30 years for murder, 15 years for burglary and 10 years each for two theft convictions. Under Alabama's accomplice liability law he got 30 years for murder because the cop shot one of his buddies and so he murdered his buddy.

Am I the only one who sees something really wrong with all this?

It IS sad... it's really sad that a 15 year old kid didn't have better guidance that might have prevented him running around with bad guys... or acting like a bad guy.

Actually... this is a pretty common part of law. VERY common for the accomplices in a crime where someone dies, as a result of their interaction with police, to be charged in this way.

I've heard this scenario countless times.

"If you can't do the time... don't do the crime."

a reply to: burdman30ott6

I so agree. But he was a young thug, black and in Alabama.

He probably had a real attitude, obvious by ignoring the plea deal. He was smug; ignorant and the cops and his attorney and the judge just hated him. They have probably seen so many of his kind that they just threw the book at him hoping not to see his future of continued violent crimes.

It's a crazy criminal system in the US especially when you realize all the money those PRIVATE prisons are making on the huge amount of inmates the US has. It's astronomical compared to the UK.

Are these long sentences, especially considering he's only 15, helping society? Doesn't seem that way.

originally posted by: nightbringr

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: Zimnydran
I see something wrong... If he killed someone, his life should be forfeit...... at the very least he should be forced to provide the victims family with the income lost with the taking of a life. Locked up, busting his butt 8 hours a day and sending the check off to the family as a reminder to himself.

He didn't kill anyone, didn't have a weapon etc... his buddy was shot by the police and he is tried for the murder of his buddy...lol

His buddy ran at police shooting. That means he attempted to murder a police officer, who was simply doing his job.

Maybe if more states had laws like this, people would think twice about such things. This kid undoubtedly knew his friend had a gun, and knew things could go wrong during a robbery. He therefore knew there was the possibility of someone being killed during the heist.

Am I the only one with little sympathy for this kid? The thug was even laughing after being sentenced, a slap in the face of the family of his dead friend.

You are not. Hopefully this idiot will be behind bars long enough to keep him from further contaminating the gene pool.

I bet his fellow inmates will breed that smart-ass smirk right off his face.
Rumor has it that they love you LONG time!
Maybe HE get love long time too!

It's not rocket science, folks. If you don't want to go to prison, don't do crime.

originally posted by: Justso
a reply to: burdman30ott6

I so agree. But he was a young thug, black and in Alabama.

Are these long sentences, especially considering he's only 15, helping society? Doesn't seem that way.

It doesn't?

It's one less criminal roaming the streets. How does that NOT help society?

Specifically.

I don't agree with the law since in my opinion it is excessive and might be considered cruel and unusual punishment. I also think it might encourage cops to shoot and kill rather than simply stop criminals.
I'm glad I don't live there. This is not the first law coming from Alabama I didn't agree with.
Taxpayers are on the hook for possibly $60,000 a year or more when the criminal might not have even shot a gun with this law.

a reply to: orionthehunter

It will also encourage criminals to shoot cops, if their going to jail for life they have nothing to lose and many will choose to go out in a blaze of glory.