Teen turns down plea deal for 25 years in prison, gets 65 years instead

65 years

So this black kid who was 15 at the time was in a group of 5 that broke into two houses. They fled the police and one of them named Washington had a .38 and fired at the police who ended up being killed by the police.

This seems like a typically event with no real surprises here.

The surprise is Lakeith Smith, now 18 one of the members in the group ended up with sentence to serve back to back: 30 years for murder, 15 years for burglary and 10 years each for two theft convictions. Under Alabama's accomplice liability law he got 30 years for murder because the cop shot one of his buddies and so he murdered his buddy.

Am I the only one who sees something really wrong with all this?

originally posted by: Xtrozero
Under Alabama's accomplice liability law he got 30 years for murder because the cop shot one of his buddies and so he murdered his buddy.

I never heard of anything like that. INSANE!

originally posted by: Xtrozero
Am I the only one who sees something really wrong with all this?

Not sure how you mean. Do I think it's "fair?" Well, the law isn't all that interested in fair, so I don't see a problem there. This is a pretty common outcome to incidents where a person is part of a group committing a crime and somebody gets killed in the process. Everybody goes up the river. It's sad, but then again, the world is full of sad things.

The law is wrong in this case. This guys entire life because someone else died shooting at cops?

Insane. He should escape.

a reply to: Xtrozero

Wow , I thought the British justice system was broken but that's just insane.

Alabama's accomplice law states that a person is legally liable for the behavior of another who commits a criminal offense if that person aids or abets the first person in committing the offense.

65 years , unbelievable.

a reply to: Xtrozero


This isn’t right! Burglary and firearms possession (if he had one, article didn’t say) he should NOT be charged with murder.

a reply to: Xtrozero
Wow, hardly anyone does more than 25 years in the UK, usually less, then released on 'life license'. This means they have to be good or go back inside again.
I can't really comment on the OP further than that, your country, your rules.

originally posted by: Xtrozero
and one of them named Washington


Am I the only one who sees something really wrong with all this?

never thought about it too much but i thought it was pretty common knowledge that you could be charged with certain crimes kind of by extension just by being there.

fair? absolutely not

there are other laws and regulations that take priority in my brain over # like this though.


and one of them named washington??
hahahah... of course

I see something wrong... If he killed someone, his life should be forfeit...... at the very least he should be forced to provide the victims family with the income lost with the taking of a life. Locked up, busting his butt 8 hours a day and sending the check off to the family as a reminder to himself.

a reply to: Xtrozero

Good times ahead for that kid. Our justice system reminds me of something I read earlier in the comment section on RT “The UN would be better served if everyone there pooped in each other mouths and pee in each others butt”

a reply to: Xtrozero

Hate to say it but he had 3 things against him, Alabama' Black' Law ...It sucks the Law is broken everywhere , But don't feel so bad for the kid He turned down the Plea deal and laughed when he got 65 years .

It's the felony murder rule, and it's not new. Not every state has it.

If they had killed a homeowner, he would've been charged with murder. If they'd killed a cop, he would have been charged with murder.

He doesn't get 30 years because a cop killed his felonbuddy, he gets 30 years because during the commission of a violent felony, somebody was killed.

Alabama's accomplice law states that a person is legally liable for the behavior of another who commits a criminal offense if that person aids or abets the first person in committing the offense. It wasn't immediately known how many states have similar statutes.

but the law is the law maaaaaaaan

i dont know. i think 65 years is bull# but then again. youre rolling with dudes carrying and trying to burgle #...
choices man

have a hard time feeling bad for this hombre

Seems like the thinking is that. Because of his involvement. And also that someone died. He is responsible for that death.

Seems like overkill to me. But he should of not been involved in a crime.

Shame.

a reply to: Xtrozero

Smells like an 8th amendment violation to me

The Lazarus Project.

Main character is charged for murder because one of his buddies got killed by a cop during a burglary gone wrong. Just watched it on netflix recently actually.

Seems wrong, yeah. I understand the logic that if they weren't doing criminal stupid # than nobody would have died or been at risk in the first place, but it seems like they take it a little too far. Kinda like in the movie, too, which has some conspiracy stuff in there too.

a reply to: TinySickTears

Long prison sentences in the US. Do you think they deter crime more efficiently than the average 25 year orders in the UK?

originally posted by: CornishCeltGuy
a reply to: TinySickTears

Long prison sentences in the US. Do you think they deter crime more efficiently than the average 25 year orders in the UK?

no i do not think that at all
i think long sentences do the opposite. there is a level of feeling institutionalized that happens.
the loss of any kind of social and job skills waiting for you after a long stretch.

also at least here in the states people like to condemn felons/ex cons for the rest of their lives. this coming out after a stretch with a clean slate and opportunities do not happen all that often. lots of them wind up back and i feel like what i mentioned plays a part.

good luck getting a #ing job after doing 20 years.
not happening

maybe 30 years ago when you could wash dished under the table or wrench on some cars at the local marathon.
not too many opportunities these days for that #

while i dont agree with the 65 year stretch i also dont feel bad.
i just cant bring myself to care about it.

i feel bad for people that wind up doing long stretches for minor drug infractions.

i tend to devote my thinking to that #

but i will quote frank zappa again

"the United States is a nation of laws. badly written and randomly enforced"
it was true when he said it and its true now

originally posted by: Blue Shift

originally posted by: Xtrozero
Am I the only one who sees something really wrong with all this?

Not sure how you mean. Do I think it's "fair?" Well, the law isn't all that interested in fair, so I don't see a problem there. This is a pretty common outcome to incidents where a person is part of a group committing a crime and somebody gets killed in the process. Everybody goes up the river. It's sad, but then again, the world is full of sad things.

65 years for basically burglary, no assault etc??

Fair or unfair is not the words I would use...scary is closer to it, as in you do something wrong that could be a small thing and you get a lifetime in jail.

Get pulled over for speeding...and get 5 counts of attempted murder added since there were 4 in your car including yourself and of course the cop had to speed to catch you.

a reply to: TinySickTears

Interesting thoughts, cheers
It's actually quite difficult to get prison time in the UK, you really have to do something pretty bad.
We haven't got the prison spaces so short of cutting someones arm off, rape or murder it'll just be a lame fine which can be paid in installments.