As Marlo Greer describes in her video on a case she covered for Court TV, a drunk 25-year-old man broke into an occupied home in the middle of the night while the family was sleeping. He snuck into the parents’ bedroom but decided he wanted an easier target. That led him to another bedroom where two children were asleep: a girl who lived at the house, and her friend who was sleeping over.
The man made a decision. He was going to kill one of the girls and then sexually assault her dead body. His motive? According to the defendant, he believed it was the end of the world. Which of course does not explain – much less justify – brutally attacking a child.
He removed his pants and then grabbed a knife from the kitchen and attacked the visiting child, stabbing her multiple times. Her screams woke the parents, and one was able to subdue the defendant, holding him at gunpoint until the police arrived.
A Plea Deal Ends the Case
The defendant was charged with Assault with Intent to Murder, 1st Degree Home Invasion, Assault with Intent to Sexually Assault, and Carrying a Dangerous Weapon with Unlawful Intent. He ended up pleading “no contest” to the Assault with Intent to Murder and 1st Degree Home Invasion charges, and to a reduced charge of 2nd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. The other charges were dropped.
The defendant – who at his sentencing apologized to the family and to the girl he repeatedly stabbed – claimed to have “found God,” and was sentenced to a prison term of 18 to 40 years. At sentencing, the judge noted that the victims had been placed in “a real-life horror show” as a result of the defendant’s actions that night.
So what do you think? Is this too short a sentence given the severity of the crime? Note that the defendant didn’t plead guilty to the reduced charges, but “no contest,” which essentially means he did not admit that he was guilty, just that the state could prove he was. So to some extent, the defendant’s apology was meaningless, given that he was not accepting full responsibility for his crimes.
Judges in most states are required to follow laws that dictate the sentences they can hand out for different types of crimes. When a prosecutor elects to accept a plea deal to lesser charges, the judge still has the power to approve or disapprove the plea deal. But if the plea is approved, the judge is then limited in terms of the sentence they can hand out for the crimes that were agreed to.
The Greer Law Group Can Help if You’ve Been Assaulted
At the Greer Law Group, our focus is on personal injury law. We help people who have been injured by the negligent or intentional acts of others. Whether that happens because of a car crash, medical malpractice, a defective product, an attack on the street, or a sexual assault, we can help you seek compensation from the person or persons responsible for the injuries, the pain, and the suffering you have endured.
Contact us if you have been injured and have questions about whether you have a case for damages. You can reach the Greer Law Group at 303-331-6460 or by filling out our contact form. We will schedule a free case evaluation where you can tell us what happened to you, and we can explain how we can help.
META title: Home Invasion Prison Sentence | Greer Law Group
Description: Prison sentences are not always as harsh as many would like.
Imagine going to a sleepover at a friend’s house as a child and waking up to find a stranger, naked from the waist down, stabbing you with a kitchen knife. That’s what happened to a family in Michigan, as described in more detail by Marlo Greer in the video linked in the comments.
The defendant faced multiple charges, including Assault with Intent to Murder, 1st Degree Home Invasion, Assault with Intent to Sexually Assault, and Carrying a Dangerous Weapon with Unlawful Intent. He took a plea deal from prosecutors, which allowed him to plead “no contest” to the first two charges and to a reduced sexual assault charge, with the weapons charge dropped. He was sentenced to the maximum that the judge was able to sentence him to: 18 to 40 years.
Is this enough? Many people think he should face more jail time. But judges are constrained by laws that limit the sentences they can impose for certain crimes, and in this case, 18 to 40 years was the limit.
