Father of Lionel Tate urges leniency Described as 'upbeat' on arrival at prison March 14, 2001 Web posted at: 5:16 p.m. EST (2216 GMT) VICKSBURG, Mississippi (CNN) -- The father of Lionel Tate, the 14-year-old sentenced to life in prison for killing a 6-year-old playmate, said Wednesday his son needs to be punished, but the sentence he has been given is excessive. John Tate also said he couldn't believe the boy's mother turned down a plea deal that would have put the boy in juvenile detention for three years, followed by house arrest and probation. Lionel was convicted in Florida ...