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Title: Teen turns down plea deal for 25 years in prison, gets 65 years instead
Source:
MSN
URL Source: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime ... r-AAvx1hZ?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp
Published: Apr 6, 2018
Author: Marty Roney
Post Date: 2018-04-06 05:15:19 by IbJensen
Keywords: None
Views: 17585
Comments: 112
WETUMPKA, Ala. — A teenager tried as an adult under Alabama's accomplice liability law was sentenced to 65 years in prison Thursday after rejecting an earlier plea deal that recommended 25 years. In a two-day trial in March, Lakeith Smith, now 18, of Montgomery was convicted of felony murder, burglary and theft for helping in the 2015 break-ins of two homes in Millbrook, about 10 miles north of Montgomery. He did not kill A'Donte Washington, 16, of Montgomery, who was part of a group of five accused in the thefts. But several in the group, including Washington, fired shots at Millbrook police officers who responded Feb. 23, 2015, to a call of a burglary in progress, according to officer body-camera footage. The officer that Washington ran toward pointing a .38 caliber revolver fired his police-issued sidearm four times, killing Washington. Smith was accused of being criminally responsible for the acts that led to Washington's death, the gist of Alabama's accomplice law. An Elmore County grand jury cleared the officer who fired the fatal shots; the officer's name was not released. On Thursday, Judge Sibley Reynolds of Alabama's 19th Judicial Circuit Court handed down three sentences that Smith will serve back to back: 30 years for murder, 15 years for burglary and 10 years each for two theft convictions. Smith smiled and laughed through the sentencing, said C.J. Robinson, chief assistant district attorney. Smith flashed a broad smile March 14 as he was led out of the courtroom shortly after the verdicts were announced. “I don’t think Mr. Smith will be smiling long when he gets to prison,” Robinson said. “We are very pleased with this sentence. Because the sentences are consecutive, it will be a long time before he comes up for even the possibility for parole, at least 20 to 25 years.” Alabama's accomplice law states that a person is legally liable for the behavior of another who commits a criminal offense if that person aids or abets the first person in committing the offense. It wasn't immediately known how many states have similar statutes. "The officer shot A'donte, not Lakeith Smith," Smith's lawyer, Jennifer Holton, said during the trial. "Lakeith was a 15-year-old child, scared to death. He did not participate in the act that caused the death of A'donte. He never shot anybody." Other surviving defendants charged in the case — Montgomery residents Jadarien Hardy, 22; Jadarien Jackson, 23; and La’Anthony Washington, 22 — entered guilty pleas to charges of felony murder, burglary and theft, court records show. They are awaiting sentencing. Poster Comment: Ha, ha, ha! Oh, for the good old days before Lyndon Bird's Great Society where boys had fathers and mothers. Lyndon's rotting in hell over his idiocy. Lakeith, A'Donte, Jadarien , La’Anthony. With names tacked onto them like these it appears they are then marked for the rest of their useless lives.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 27.
#9. To: IbJensen (#0)
(Edited)
I know why he was laughing. 25 or 95 years what is the difference. I would laugh too. At least he did not give them satisfaction of asserting his "guilt". If they gave 1000 years sentence you would laugh also. Look he has wrong name and wrong color of the skin and no money for a good lawyer, so what he has to lose.
Perhaps. (You give two possible theories.) Not that they are necessarily the case. Unless you are able to get into the head of a deranged, demon-obsessed murderer. Then again -- why would you "laugh too"?? The guy is only 18 years old. If you're an old man your laugh *might* make a lick of sense. Given his original sentence of 25 years in this day of liberal "justice," it likely would have meant a reality of serving perhaps a quarter (5 years) to half (12-13 years) of the actual sentence, still making him a relatively young man when released. Your theoretical notion of his "satisfaction" cost the perp a 95 year sentence. Now he definitely won't be released for parole after a minimum of 20-25 years. If that fails and the sentence is cut in half, that 40-50 years loses the perp the best years of his life. Talk about incredible sense of stupidity. Ignorance. And just maybe he was *proud* of his dirty deed which just means he's evil. If they gave 1000 years sentence you would laugh also. Look he has wrong name and wrong color of the skin and no money for a good lawyer, so what he has to lose. Why do Communists always blame a system of universal laws and justice, and punitive measures and instead dig up excuses for criminal behavior? Why do you (and your ilk) insist that perps' color and lack of Johnny Cochran and F. Lee Bailey defense teams exonerates and immunizes this punk for committing serious crime? Again, your perspective, sense of proportion, and system of justice and morality is warped. (Unless you believe he "took one for the team"?) That you find little difference between a 25 year sentence or 1000 years is anti-logic. And anti-rational. That 25 year sentence was NOT nearly a death sentence by ANY means. But turning it into the 95 year sentence was close to it. Not that you care -- just as long as YOU can still laugh at justice-served from the freedom of your Lazy-Boy (portrait of Stalin behind you). Do you have a portrait of 0bama on the other wall(s)?
He's not a murderer. He was merely an accomplice convicted of the death of his pal that got himself killed. But I had the same thoughts as A Pole. What's the difference between 25 & 95 years? How long a time did you consider 25 years to be when you were 18? When you are that young, 25 years, even 12, is an eternity. And what life would a convicted felon get after being released at 30 years? Whether deserving or not aside, homelessness and unemployment are near certainties. So he doubled down in his legal defense. Not guilty, or failing that early retirement for life. He'll never need to work again for the rest of his life. What this guy has is a life with no hope and he's content with that. And the tax payers will pick up the tab. So why should this guy not laugh? Who are the real fools?
You mean he didn't commit Murder One. But he stood convicted of: Felony murder, burglary and theft. And who knows what skeletons are in this thug's past closet? OR future? This was a pack of armed animals preying upon the weak. NO sympathy from me. The kid was part of an ARMED swarm of thugs who respect no law or person. He and the group shot at cops. That's attempted murder. Now in their rash of B&E, would they are have shot at the homeowners as well? YOU BET. I had the same thoughts as A Pole. What's the difference between 25 & 95 years? How long a time did you consider 25 years to be when you were 18? When you are that young, 25 years, even 12, is an eternity. Everyone's entitle to their opinion. But there is a HUGE difference in the sentence. How long a time would *I have considered 25 years when I was 18? Well, considering I wouldn't have been so stupid and criminal-minded as to give a middle-finger to the law REGARDLESS OF RAMIFICATIONS, I *can't* relate. IF I could relate, I'm sure that his attorney would have reminded the punk that a 25 year sentence isn't actually 25 years for a conviction that wasn't Murder One; It might have been closer to 6-10 for good behavior. Now we'll never know. NOT that I give a rip. And what life would a convicted felon get after being released at 30 years? Whether deserving or not aside, homelessness and unemployment are near certainties. So he doubled down in his legal defense. Not guilty, or failing that early retirement for life. He'll never need to work again for the rest of his life. If being an armed thug who was prepared to shoot whomever in the way -- the way these punks roll -- getting prosecuted BY THE LAW is HIS problem. Hey -- this wasn't a Kangaroo Court, was it?? But that's the impression and lens A Pole peers through. What this guy has is a life with no hope and he's content with that. And the tax payers will pick up the tab. So why should this guy not laugh? Who are the real fools? Again, we have laws for good reason. The punk ignored it and thought he was special. Yes, it's a waste of life. But remember -- he was fully prepared to murder a cop(s) or homeowners. Frankly, only a sociopaths laughs at his sentencing. The possible good news? Perhaps the thug's prison experience changes his heart, he becomes wise and asks for penance. Maybe he gets parole after 25-30 years. Look -- everyone dies in the flesh. Not everybody defies the law. We don't always have a chance at redemption and salvation, but he does.
The Felony murder is what I take issue with. In my view, that charge should not have stuck. His pal got himself killed. Unless this guy persuaded his pal to go charging an armed cop with a gun with the idea he'd get blown away, he's not responsible for his death. For burglary & theft, yes, hit him with that. But not felony murder. This is not about sympathy. This is about justice. If the judicial system was about sympathy or lack thereof, then just do away with them and replace them with lynch mobs to spare or not spare those accused.
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestSmith smiled and laughed through the sentencing
#11. To: A Pole (#9)
I know why he was laughing. 25 or 95 years what is the difference. I would laugh too. At least he did not give them satisfaction of asserting his "guilt".
#12. To: Liberator, A Pole (#11)
I know why he was laughing. 25 or 95 years what is the difference. I would laugh too. At least he did not give them satisfaction of asserting his "guilt".
Perhaps. (You give two possible theories.) Not that they are necessarily the case. Unless you are able to get into the head of a deranged, demon-obsessed murderer.
#17. To: Pinguinite, A Pole, Vicomte13, GrandIsland (#12)
He's not a murderer. He was merely an accomplice convicted of the death of his pal that got himself killed.
#27. To: Liberator (#17)
You mean he didn't commit Murder One. But he stood convicted of: Felony murder, burglary and theft. And who knows what skeletons are in this thug's past closet? OR future? This was a pack of armed animals preying upon the weak.
NO sympathy from me.
Replies to Comment # 27.
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