[D.COM]

Originally posted by kdonline
Sorry to post in your thread, but I live in the area where this happened - it's huge news here, of course. I'm just happy to see this discussed in GC, because I feel very strongly that this boy's life sentence is so very wrong.

A few points:
- Lionel has a low IQ, which was not the defense his attorney chose to pursure. Instead, they used the "blame it on pro wrestling" defense.

- the victim's mother DOES agree with the 1st degree charge, but she felt that life in prison was too harsh.

- Lionel DID kill Tiffany, but should he have been brought up on first degree murder charges!?

From today's SunSentinel (our local paper):
"Rosenbaum said he hopes Broward prosecutors will again offer to let Tate plead guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a sentence of three years in a juvenile detention facility, followed by a year of house arrest, 10 years of probation, psychological tests and 1,000 hours of community service.

'I think that's a very reasonable offer,' Rosenbaum said. Tate has already served nearly three years of his sentence.

The prosecutor offered that plea agreement to Tate before trial but Tate's mother, Kathleen Grossett-Tate, and his trial attorney, Jim Lewis, rejected it. If Tate had taken the deal, he would have been eligible for release 10 months ago.

Many legal observers said the decision to reject the plea deal was a mistake. Even a defense medical expert testified Tiffany's death was not an accident.

The evidence showed Tiffany was brutally slain, suffering as many as 35 injuries. One expert testified that they were of the kind caused by a three-story fall.

And all the trial witnesses, prosecution and defense, rejected the defense argument that Tate accidentally hurt Tiffany while mimicking pro wrestlers or play-fighting.

But witnesses on both sides also testified Tate was immature, even for a 12-year-old."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...,2022654.story


BTW, this case also happened around the same time where another South Florida Af-Am boy shot & killed his teacher. That is a totally different case - obviously thought out - but Tate's case has totally different circumstances.

In a larger sense, what is at question here - in both cases - is whether or not a child should ever be charged as an adult.

I agree...GOOOOO GATORS!!!!!!!