• 14-year-old sentenced to life in wrestling death
    44 replies, posted
[quote]A boy who says he was imitating body-slamming pro wrestlers when he killed a little girl as a 12-year-old was sentenced to life in prison without parole after a judge refused to reduce his first-degree murder conviction. A boy who says he was imitating body-slamming pro wrestlers when he killed a little girl as a 12-year-old was sentenced to life in prison without parole after a judge refused to reduce his first-degree murder conviction. Tears rolled down Lionel Tate's cheeks as the boy, now 14, was led away in handcuffs and leg shackles Friday to begin serving the sentence, which was mandatory under a tough-on-crime Florida law enacted in the mid-1990s. Tate becomes one of the youngest defendants in the United States ever to be sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars. The prosecutor himself suggested the sentence was too harsh, but he also noted that the boy's lawyer and his mother had repeatedly rejected a plea bargain that would have meant only three years in a juvenile prison. In imposing sentence, Judge Joel Lazarus called the slaying of 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick "cold, callous and indescribably cruel." Tate was found guilty on January 25 of beating Tiffany to death at his home. Tiffany suffered a fractured skull, a lacerated liver and more than 30 other injuries on July 28, 1999, from being punched, kicked, stomped and thrown. During the trial, the defense argued that the 170-pound boy did not mean to kill the 48-pound girl and thought he could body-slam people and they would walk away unhurt, just like his wrestling idols on television. On Friday, the judge rejected a defence request to throw out Tate's conviction or reduce it to second-degree murder or manslaughter, saying: "The evidence of Lionel Tate's guilt is clear, obvious and indisputable." The judge also questioned the defense argument that Tate was imitating pro wrestlers. "It is inconceivable that such injuries could be caused by roughhousing or horseplay or by replicating wrestling moves," he said. While several family friends and relatives wailed at the sentencing, Tate's mother Kathleen Grossett-Tate showed no reaction. Grossett-Tate, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, had described Tiffany's death to the judge as a "tragic accident." Grossett-Tate said she would continue to fight for her son. "It is not over. The fight has just begun. With God on my side and all the support we have been getting, we're going to make it," she told a black policemen's rally at a church. "I still love Tiffany and my heart goes out to her and her family," she added. Defence attorney Jim Lewis had tried to put pro wresting and TV itself on trial. But the judge blocked him from calling as witnesses wrestling stars Hulk Hogan and The Rock, or from summoning psychologists to testify about the effect of pro wrestling on children. Lewis said he will appeal and also ask Governor Jeb Bush to reduce the sentence. Bush said he would accept a request for a clemency hearing and that, in the interim, Tate should be kept in a juvenile facility. "It breaks my heart when we see these outbreaks of violence that seem senseless," said Bush. Prosecutor Ken Padowitz urged the judge to uphold the first-degree murder conviction but said he will support the request for clemency from the governor. However, he added: "That by no means is an indication that I don't believe that the jury's verdict was correct." He said the Legislature should change the law so that judges have leeway in sentencing juveniles convicted as adults of first-degree murder. Padowitz would not say what sentence he believes Tate deserves, but pointed out that before the trial, Tate, his mother and his lawyer repeatedly rejected a plea bargain that offered three years in a juvenile prison, one year of house arrest and 10 years of probation. "That was a fair plea offer and if I could turn back time I would take it," the boy's lawyer said. [/quote] [url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/14yearold-sentenced-to-life-in-wrestling-death-686788.html[/url]
What the actual fuck? Why do people insist on replicating a sport which is obviously fake?
[quote]During the trial, the defense argued that the 170-pound boy did not mean to kill the 48-pound girl and thought he could body-slam people and they would walk away unhurt, just like his wrestling idols on television.[/quote]Maybe we shouldn't let 12-year-olds watch show wrestling eh.
[quote]The prosecutor himself suggested the sentence was too harsh, but he also noted that the boy's lawyer and his mother had repeatedly rejected a plea bargain that would have meant [B]only three years in a juvenile prison.[/B][/quote] How could a crime that could be punished with life in prison even have a three-year sentence offered in a bargain? How could any sensible lawyer not accept that bargain if life in prison, or any significant sentence, was likely?
Jesus fucking christ I am shocked and appalled.
[QUOTE]Tate was found guilty on January 25 of beating Tiffany to death at his home. Tiffany suffered a fractured skull, a lacerated liver and more than 30 other injuries on July 28, 1999, from being punched, kicked, stomped and thrown. [/QUOTE] Mother of God, I guess he didn't only bodyslam her
You really shouldn't live a life sentence to somebody under 18 They haven't fully matured.
uhm, isn't this unlawful considering he's a minor?
The article is from 2001.
He beat her to death to, he deserves it
Remember guys the justice system is ALWAYS right.
[QUOTE=Intoxicated Spy;32473845]The article is from 2001.[/QUOTE] Pfahah just noticed that. Gentlemen, ready your clocks.
[QUOTE=Intoxicated Spy;32473845]The article is from 2001.[/QUOTE] That boy is 24 years old now, seemingly still in jail. Where's smith when you need it.
[QUOTE]but he also noted that the boy's lawyer and his mother had repeatedly rejected a plea bargain that would have meant only three years in a juvenile prison.[/QUOTE] What the fuck why didn't they take it, not even the mother? Holy fuck this is from 2001? What the fuck OP?
[QUOTE=minilandstan;32473794]You really shouldn't live a life sentence to somebody under 18 They haven't fully matured.[/QUOTE] At 14 you have enough common sense to know you don't do the shit he did. He's fully responsible and the punishment is fine, maturity is no excuse.
[QUOTE=evilweazel;32474002]At 14 you have enough common sense to know you don't do the shit he did. He's fully responsible and the punishment is fine, maturity is no excuse.[/QUOTE] Common sense isn't common.
He's 24 now. Convicted for 2nd degree murder, probation violation and armed robbery. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Tate[/url]
This is an experiment. What will a human be like if it spends its entire life in prison?
Fucked up on both ends Doesn't deserve life, but he must be pretty messed up to brutally murder a girl at 14 Holy shit 170 pounds
[QUOTE=evilweazel;32474002]At 14 you have enough common sense to know you don't do the shit he did. He's fully responsible and the punishment is fine, maturity is no excuse.[/QUOTE] 14 year olds do dumb things. Are you seriously going to justify putting a kid in prison for the rest of his life?
He can't be right in the head if he doesn't understand how pain works at 14 He should be kept away and rehabilitated yeah, but not in a prison
[QUOTE=Swebonny;32474017]He's 24 now. Convicted for 2nd degree murder, probation violation and armed robbery. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Tate[/url][/QUOTE] Interesting: [quote]In January 2004, a state appeals court overturned his conviction on the basis that his mental competency had not been evaluated before trial. This opened the way for Tate to accept the same plea deal he originally turned down, and he was released on one year's house arrest and 10 years' probation.[/quote] This is why you don't post old news.
[quote][b]Original sentence overturned[/b] After the conviction, the prosecution openly joined Tate's plea for leniency in sentencing, and even offered to help in his appeal. The trial judge criticized the prosecution for compromising the integrity of the adversarial system, and said that if the prosecution felt that life imprisonment was not warranted, they should not have charged him with murder in the first place. In January 2004, a state appeals court overturned his conviction on the basis that his mental competency had not been evaluated before trial. This opened the way for Tate to accept the same plea deal he originally turned down, and he was released on one year's house arrest and 10 years' probation. [edit]Probation violation On September 3, 2004, Tate was detained and held in prison for violating the terms of his house arrest when he was found out of his house and carrying a four-inch knife. On October 29, the Associated Press reported that Tate was placed on zero tolerance probation, for an additional five years. On November 30, Tate was allowed to return to the home of his mother, Kathleen Grossett-Tate. The family he had been staying with asked that he be removed, because frequent visits by state probation officers were too stressful. [b]Armed robbery arrest and subsequent plea bargain[/b] On May 23, 2005, Tate was charged with armed burglary with battery, armed robbery and violation of probation, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said. Tate threatened Domino's Pizza deliveryman Walter Ernest Gallardo with a handgun outside a friend's apartment after phoning in an order. Gallardo dropped the four pizzas and fled the scene. Tate then re-entered the apartment, assaulting the occupant who did not want Tate inside. Gallardo called 9-1-1 upon reaching the Domino's store and returned to identify Tate, the sheriff's office said in a statement. No gun was recovered. On March 1, 2006, Tate accepted a plea bargain and was to be sentenced to 10–30 years imprisonment in a sentencing hearing in April 2006. Tate admitted that he had violated probation by possessing a gun during the May 23 robbery that netted four pizzas worth $33.60, but he has refused to answer questions about where he got and later disposed of the gun. He was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea for robbery, but was finally sentenced to 30 years in prison on May 18, 2006 for violating probation. On October 24, 2007, Florida's 4th District Court of Appeal upheld that sentence. On February 19, 2008, Tate pleaded no contest to the pizza robbery and was sentenced to 10 years in state prison. The sentence will run concurrently with his 30 year sentence for violating his probation.[/quote] [editline]25th September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Swebonny;32474017]He's 24 now. Convicted for 2nd degree murder, probation violation and armed robbery. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Tate[/url][/QUOTE] FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Tate accepted a plea bargain and was to be sentenced to 10–30 years imprisonment in a sentencing hearing in April 2006. Tate admitted that he had violated probation by possessing a gun during the May 23 robbery that netted [B]four pizzas worth $33.60[/B]
[QUOTE=MIPS;32474044]This is an experiment. What will a human be like if it spends its entire life in prison?[/QUOTE] Pretty sure you would need to be born in prison. :v:
[QUOTE=TheFilmSlacker;32473807]As much as the kid was stupid, this is just fucking horrible. Life in prison? He's still only a kid. I remember being 14. :([/QUOTE] He did the act when he was twelve... so I don't know how that relates to you remembering being fourteen.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;32474017]He's 24 now. Convicted for 2nd degree murder, probation violation and armed robbery. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Tate[/url][/QUOTE] I'm not surprised. It's fucking stupid to imprison a 14 year old. I'm sure 90% of all 14-year old children would become criminals after 1+ years of prison. At that age it's just insane.
To everyone saying he was 14, he was actually 12 when the crime was committed, he was 14 when he was charged and arrested. That's bothering me, just figured I'd point that out. Read better next time please.
[quote]During the trial, the defense argued that the 170-pound boy did not mean to kill the 48-pound girl and thought he could body-slam people and they would walk away unhurt, just like his wrestling idols on television.[/quote] Wait, what? I know he was 12 when it happened but how can you not see that?
This makes me sad. It's like the kids who play the choking game.
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