Convicted child killer to return home

[question]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) -- Lionel Tate, the Florida youth once sentenced to life in prison for the death of a playmate, can return to his mother's home while he serves probation, a judge ruled Monday.

Tate, 17, the youngest person in modern U.S. history to be sentenced to life in prison, was freed earlier this year, but then he was accused of violating probation in September.

He was moved to another home, but that family requested that he be removed because the frequent visits by probation officers were too stressful, authorities said.

On Monday, Tate's legal representative, Howard Greitzer, told the judge the teen wanted to return home.

Broward Circuit Judge Joel Lazarus asked Tate's mother, Kathleen Grossett-Tate, if she would abide by Tate's probation rules. Grossett-Tate, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, agreed.

Tate made headlines as a 12-year-old when he was charged with first-degree murder for killing 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick. He was convicted and sent to prison for life without a chance at parole, as required by state law.

But he won a new trial on appeal and went free in January under a deal that placed him under court supervision for 11 years.

He was arrested in September for violating his probation by being out of his home overnight following an argument with his mother. The terms of his probation called for him to remain at home except for school, work or church, unless he has permission from his probation officer.

Last month, a judge added another five years to the 10 years Tate had left on the original probation and warned him that any other problems would land him back in jail.

The judge also allowed Tate to move in with the unidentified Broward County couple because of the problems Tate was having at home.

Tate initially claimed he accidentally killed Tiffany while imitating professional wrestling moves he had seen on television. But prosecutors said the girl was brutally beaten to death.

An appeals court threw out Tate's first-degree murder conviction last year, ruling he might not have understood the criminal proceedings against him.

[taken from: CNN]

[question]

We give life in prison to murderers, then put them on probation, only to have them violate it. Then we say they can go home to their mommy. Someone transports an plant across state lines, or has a lot of said plant, and they lose the majority of their life to prison.

What the fuck is wrong with our society?

[Element4040]

Originally Posted by question

We give life in prison to murderers, then put them on probation, only to have them violate it. Then we say they can go home to their mommy. Someone transports an plant across state lines, or has a lot of said plant, and they lose the majority of their life to prison.

What the fuck is wrong with our society?

The same society that put one of my High School buddies in prison for 8 years for striking a 15 year old with a pool cue (he was 17). I'm not saying what he did was right by any means, however he served 4 years of those 8, before being released on parole. And before anyone gets any ideas, there was no major damage done, just a missing tooth and a sore face. To prison with ya no good evil doer.

Compare that to someone who commited murder and is released in 5 years, hmmmmmmm.

Originally Posted by Element4040

The same society that put one of my High School buddies in prison for 8 years for striking a 15 year old with a pool cue (he was 17). I'm not saying what he did was right by any means, however he served 4 years of those 8, before being released on parole. And before anyone gets any ideas, there was no major damage done, just a missing tooth and a sore face. To prison with ya no good evil doer.

Compare that to someone who commited murder and is released in 5 years, hmmmmmmm.

the murderer was 12 and got a new trial where he was tried as a child rather than adult...

and your buddy.... no prior record of violence? Aggravated battery warrants severe consequences but 8 years in prison seems harsh.... what was the crime convicted of?

[Element4040]

Originally Posted by xiannaix

the murderer was 12 and got a new trial where he was tried as a child rather than adult...

and your buddy.... no prior record of violence? Aggravated battery warrants severe consequences but 8 years in prison seems harsh.... what was the crime convicted of?

Aggravated assault to a Minor. The kicker was the victim was 15, a minor. My buddy was 17, an adult in Texas. Not that it matters all that much, but the 15 year old kid (who I knew also, a brother of an X-girlfriend, nice kid actually) was much bigger than my 17 year old friend, and I wouldn't have guessed him to have been 15 If I hadn't known him. I can't offer alot of perspective on the 'actual' incident as I was not there. However, I do know that it was basically a disagreement, the 15 year old got hit in the face with the pool stick, the 17 year old ran, later to be caught in his parent's house by the Police.

He didn't have a sparkling record, I don't know the extent personally, but I know the two or three things on there were pretty minor, considering he hadn't been on probation before. Most likely they were alcohol related and maybe a petty theft. I won't defend the guy, cause he had done some wrong.

However I have always felt like throwing him in prison for 4 years did way more harm than good. 21 years old when you get out of jail, and believe me, when you are thrown in general pop in a major prison system you will never be the same. I lost touch with him after a couple years once he was put in prison. But the crap that goes on in there, will definetely make you a pretty messed up individual. I got some pretty sad letters and was shocked almost every time I read one.

Originally Posted by Element4040

Aggravated assault to a Minor. The kicker was the victim was 15, a minor. My buddy was 17, an adult in Texas. Not that it matters all that much, but the 15 year old kid (who I knew also, a brother of an X-girlfriend, nice kid actually) was much bigger than my 17 year old friend, and I wouldn't have guessed him to have been 15 If I hadn't known him. I can't offer alot of perspective on the 'actual' incident as I was not there. However, I do know that it was basically a disagreement, the 15 year old got hit in the face with the pool stick, the 17 year old ran, later to be caught in his parent's house by the Police.

He didn't have a sparkling record, I don't know the extent personally, but I know the two or three things on there were pretty minor, considering he hadn't been on probation before. Most likely they were alcohol related and maybe a petty theft. I won't defend the guy, cause he had done some wrong.

However I have always felt like throwing him in prison for 4 years did way more harm than good. 21 years old when you get out of jail, and believe me, when you are thrown in general pop in a major prison system you will never be the same. I lost touch with him after a couple years once he was put in prison. But the crap that goes on in there, will definetely make you a pretty messed up individual. I got some pretty sad letters and was shocked almost every time I read one.

I'm a huge supporter of finding whatever diversion programs are available before prison. Prison is an admission of failure and condemns the convicted to very difficult existence (in or out). I've seen plea arrangement that practicly begged the defendant not to get in trouble anymore because the only remaining option was real time in prison and the DA didn't want to destroy the kid's life. ("Shock probation" generally works... fairly long probation with brief incarceration in prison to give the defendant a taste of what its really like - and a strong negative reinforcement for what they want to avoid). Different jurisdictions run there officers diferently but it sounds like your friend may have gotten caught up in well-intentioned but horribly misguided mandatory sentencing guidelines.

[MysteryMeat]

Originally Posted by xiannaix

I'm a huge supporter of finding whatever diversion programs are available before prison. Prison is an admission of failure and condemns the convicted to very difficult existence (in or out). I've seen plea arrangement that practicly begged the defendant not to get in trouble anymore because the only remaining option was real time in prison and the DA didn't want to destroy the kid's life. ("Shock probation" generally works... fairly long probation with brief incarceration in prison to give the defendant a taste of what its really like - and a strong negative reinforcement for what they want to avoid). Different jurisdictions run there officers diferently but it sounds like your friend may have gotten caught up in well-intentioned but horribly misguided mandatory sentencing guidelines.

I'm a staunch advocate of an ammended version of 'Scared Straight' program that I like to call 'Prison Bitch for a Night'. You get a group of your closest 20-to-life buddies together to anally gang rape someone, & I got $20 says they don't do it again.

[willy_jack]

Originally Posted by MysteryMeat

I'm a staunch advocate of an ammended version of 'Scared Straight' program that I like to call 'Prison Bitch for a Night'. You get a group of your closest 20-to-life buddies together to anally gang rape someone, & I got $20 says they don't do it again.

hey i think that might work

Originally Posted by MysteryMeat

I'm a staunch advocate of an ammended version of 'Scared Straight' program that I like to call 'Prison Bitch for a Night'. You get a group of your closest 20-to-life buddies together to anally gang rape someone, & I got $20 says they don't do it again.

a bit harsh perhaps - but I bet you're right about its effectiveness