Lionel Tate News
tinydancer
Wonder if his momma visits him in prison and blames his troubles on the
prison staff.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Attorneys for a man convicted of murdering a
6-year-old girl when he was 12 years old said Thursday they want his 30-year
sentence vacated on the grounds that one of his former attorneys was
incompetent.
A motion was filed in the 4th District Court of Appeals earlier this week,
said Jim Lewis, an attorney for Lionel Tate.
Tate was once the youngest person in modern U.S. history to receive a life
sentence after he was convicted of murder in the 1999 beating death of
6-year-old Tiffany Eunick.
But the sentence was thrown out in 2004 and he was given a plea deal and
probation.
Tate began serving a 30-year sentence for violating his probation after he
was arrested for allegedly robbing a pizza delivery man at gunpoint in May
2005. Tate, now 20, is scheduled to start trial Monday on charges in that
case.
Lewis said the former attorney, Ellis Rubin, allowed Tate to refuse a plea
deal that would have given him a 30-year total sentence for both charges -
robbery and gun possession. A conviction on the robbery charges could add a
life sentence to his existing sentence.
Rubin was one of South Florida's best-known lawyers prior to his death in
December 2006.
``I think that is very problematic and I wish Ellis Rubin was here and I
could talk to him and basically ask what was he thinking,'' Lewis said.
Rubin's former partner, Robert Barrar, said Tate would not be in the
position he's in had he listened to Rubin's advice.
``He would have received much less time as he currently has as well as he
would not be facing a potential additional life sentence,'' Barrar said.
``Ellis was anything but incompetent.''
tinydancer
"comadreja" <comad...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:comadreja-t-64D0...@news.giganews.com...
> In article <comadreja-t-5D59...@news.giganews.com>,
> comadreja <comad...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > As much as Lionel Tate has been screwing up his life since the age 12,
> > I don't believe he should be sent to prison for a robbery of $33.40 of
> > pizza, no matter he used a gun or not, or was planning to rob drug
> > dealers that night. His mother is very much to blame for some of his
> > actions.
>
> My apologies, my learning disorder self, I meant to write, he shouldn't
> be sent to LIFE in prison. He should be sent to prison for his probation
> violation along with gun possession and armed robbery, but not 30 years
> to life, IMHO. However, Lionel Tate is by far his own worst enemy with
> his mother coming a close second.
>
> Oh and Ellis Rubins didn't quit (he wanted to), IIRC, he wanted to quit
> because Lionel wasn't following his advice, a previous attorney, who
> quit because Lionel or his mother were completely delusional about
> getting off in a year or two with an appeal. Lionel even sabotage the
> plea agreement by writing to the Judge... I am expecting Lionel Tate
> antics for the Phil Spector trial, given they are both going for all or
> nothing defenses with overwhelming evidence against them.
>
> Now his Appellate Attorney is writing up pathetic motions that won't
> be even seriously considered, while Lionel Tate will probably spend the
> rest of his life in a Maximum Security Prison. This case always shocks
> me because the actions of his mother....
Lionel Tate is a product of his mother IMO. She neglected him, left him
with others while she pursued her own *life*. And then when she finally did
take him back, she continually and constantly never held him accountable for
his own actions. Always blaming someone else for Lionels bad behaviors. I
recall reading about her marching into his school, in uniform, with her gun
on her hip, wanting to know "who got Lionel into trouble this time?",
because of course, it was never Lionel's actions that 'got him into
trouble.' His mother is a disaster. Thankfully, AFAIK, the woman hasn't
procreated again. It's unfortunate that Lionel will apparently be spending
*most* of his life in prison, but he has his mother to thank for that. And
I personally think society is safer with Lionel behind bars. Obviously his
first stint in prison did nothing to change his basic character. My
opinion, Lionel is a lost cause when it comes to that.
td
robbielynn
> "comadreja" <comadrej...@comcast.net> wrote in message
>
> news:comadreja-t-64D0...@news.giganews.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> > In article <comadreja-t-5D59B3.23455612042...@news.giganews.com>,
>
> My opinion, Lionel is a lost cause when it comes to that.
Agree Tiny..it was monstorous what he did to that litttle
Tiffany while his mother was sleeping. Once an animal,
always an animal.