the boy thinks he's tough, now it'll get a chance to prove it...
Posted on 04/06/2018 12:41:30 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
An Alabama teen who had turned down a 25-year sentence in a plea deal laughed and smiled in court on Thursday as he was sentenced to 65 years in prison for felony murder and other charges.
The judge even overheard Lakeith Smith saying "I don’t have time for this" as he was waiting for his case to be called, according to WECT.
"You got plenty of time for this," Judge Sibley Reynolds told Smith as he sentenced him to consecutive terms in an Elmore County courtroom. "When I called the case earlier you said you ain’t got time for this, so I didn’t know if you had time for this now?"
At that point Smith laughed, according to the station, and said he did not know the judge had heard him.
"You just don't get it do you?" Reynolds said, according to WECT. "He hasn't said I'm sorry yet. He hasn't acknowledged to this court that he shouldn't have done, shouldn't have come around, in fact, his attitude toward this court and life, in general, has been sour."
Smith was one of four suspects charged in the death of accomplice A'Donte Washington, who was fatally shot by police. All four were charged with felony murder in connection to the state's accomplice liability law, according to WECT.
The five suspects had broken into two homes in Millbrook in February of 2015, according to the Montgomery Advertiser, when they were confronted and chased by police. Washington, who was 16, had pointed his gun at an officer when he was shot, according to the Advertiser.
The 19-year-old Smith was the only one not to plead guilty, turning down an offer of 25 years.
"I don't think Mr. Smith will be smiling long when he gets to prison," chief assistant district attorney C.J. Robinson told the Advertiser. "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."
Smith was given 30 years for felony murder, 15 years for burglary, and two 10-year terms for theft, according to the newspaper.
His grandfather asked the judge to show some leniency. "Give him a chance to tell you he's sorry," he said to the judge, according to WECT.
"He’s had every opportunity," the judge responded. "I've asked two or three times today."
"Are you sorry?” the grandfather asked Smith, according to the station. The teen said he was sorry for what he did and for his "homeboy," a reference to Washington, according to the station.
If an accomplice or anybody else dies while a person is involved in the commission of a felony, that person is guilty of murder. Long standing law.
He wouldn’t survive very long there or anywhere else in the Caribbean.
I don’t think it was fair. I think that the kid needs to do time for his crimes, burglary and resisting arrest.
He sounds like he was too stupid to understand what he is really in for.
Pinning murder on him, and the others just doesn’t make sense.
I told my children that the law is capricious
Fiar? Indeed. Do you thin if the dead person was a homeowner or a passerby that it would make any difference? Should it? The law is clear- someone dies of homicide during the commission of a crime and all the players are guilty of all of the actions. Speaking of severing your actions after the fact is , well, silly. Anyone who wanted to be severed from any responsibility had every opportunity to so do before they began committing a crime. Even then, conspiring to commit a crime and then backing out and not reporting the others is a crime too.
Here in SC this would fall under the “hand of one is the hand of all” rule in that if you were there and did nothing to stop the crime then you are as guilty as the one who committed the crime.
Darwin wins again...
Yep. If he hadn’t got caught and jail time this time it would have just happened at a later date.
If you read the article, it says he’s eligible for parole at 20.
I am of the opinion that he is better off (and less expensive) executed.
It applies even when no shots are fired.
I've read of cases where a robber caused a shop owner to have a fatal heart attack.
They were still charged with murder.
Seems fair and just to me.
Pro tip: Stop robbing people.
Then you don't have to deal with any negative consequences that may ensue.
IT’S THE LAW!! Felony murder has made sense for a long time.
So, whose the murderer?
the boy thinks he's tough, now it'll get a chance to prove it...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holman_Correctional_Facility
Holman. Overcrowded, understaffed, violent and on the Gulf Coast with no air conditioning.
Enjoy your stay.
New bitch for cell block C screams to ensue karma.
I think so to but I’ve heard where execution is more expensive but I can’t figute out why.
Agreed..........
I know there are softies here who think he’s being judged a bit harshly, but people like him need to do some SERIOUS TIME - and not really for him, but for the others in LaHood, who, probably daily, get offers to ‘help out’ in criminal activity. With this guy away for decades (at least until a leftist judge springs him), others may be a bit more reluctant to follow in his footsteps.
And yes, his ATTITUDE is a big deal...because if he got off easy with that attitude, then Lahood simply will not respect our justice system.
Felony murder. It even applies to some poor slob asleep in his bed.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3144098/posts
I have a problem with the mental gymnastics involved in charging someone with murder who did not in fact commit murder. Charge them with the crimes that they actually committed, no less, no more
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