Posted on 12/06/2005 4:33:59 PM PST by Graybeard58
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A hearing that could mean a return to prison for convicted killer Lionel Tate, once the youngest person in modern U.S. history sentenced to life behind bars, was postponed Monday after he sent the judge a letter threatening suicide.
Tate, convicted at age 13 of beating and stomping to death a 6-year-old girl, was set to appear before Circuit Judge Joel T. Lazarus, who could send him back to prison for as much as life if he finds Tate violated his probation. Tate is accused of robbing a pizza delivery man at gunpoint.
However, the judge said that because of the letter, he decided to wait until after a Dec. 19 competency hearing for Tate, now 18.
In the letter, which the judge received Friday, Tate said public defender H. Dohn Williams did not understand "my mental condition." He continued: "I stated to him before that I was hearing voices and that I wanted to kill myself."
Tate has not attempted suicide in the Broward County jail.
Tate was 12 when he killed Tiffany Eunick, a family friend, in 1999. His lawyers initially claimed the girl died accidentally while the 160-pound boy was imitating wrestling moves he had seen on television, but experts said the girl died of a beating that lasted up to five minutes.
He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in 2001. In 2004, an appeals court threw out the conviction after finding that it was not clear whether Tate understood what was happening to him.
He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was given 10 years' probation.
Maybe the state should threaten to help...
Works for me!
I send him a gun with one bullet if they will let me. This punk will cost America over a billion dollars in his life and he is worthless.
I have some piano wire that would work wonders for this POS.
how did he commit another crime? I thought he was in prison for life? sorry, sarcasm overload.
The ambulance chasing lawyers have schooled this thug well.
He was hearing voices and wanted to kill himself, so he robs a guy at gunpoint.... they should have left him in jail the first time.
He should have read more tookie when he was a child.
I don't consider him wanting to commit suicide a threat.
In the letter, which the judge received Friday, Tate said public defender H. Dohn Williams did not understand "my mental condition." He continued: "I stated to him before that I was hearing voices..."
I find Lionel's explanation to be entirely credible. The voices in my head routinely tell me to rob the Domino's guy at gunpoint.
He hears voices and thinks about suicide. Sorry, but I don't believe a word he's saying. What I DO believe is that somebody has coached him into saying those things.
Good.
If suicide is his choice, let him exercise that choice.
I'll lend the scumbag the rope!
Any thing I can get him? Rope? Chair?
his mother is a cop....She would know how to coin a phrase that will get him off.This sudden insanity plea is just the ticket..In a hospital for 2-3 years,then out again,robbing and killing..Oh,his mother wants that sooooooo much!!!!!!
Anyone know anything about this Judge?
Is he a bleeding heart?
A hanging Judge?
I was astounded when the mother of the Ft. Worth cop killer (IIRC) said that her boy deserved to die. She said what I think many of us would say if faced with that tragic situation. She said she loved him, but he killed and had to pay the price.
This piese of crap is just working the systeem.
Hey, no problem there.
Considering how crappy their pizza is, I'd want my money back too.
:)
LVM
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