Sarasota Teen Sentenced to Life for Fatal Bat Beating

[Thomas Hensley]

May 10, 2002

Sarasota Teen Sentenced to Life for Fatal Bat Beating
The Associated Press

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - A 15-year-old boy received a life sentence
Friday for fatally beating a rival teen with a baseball bat.

Dominic Culpepper was convicted in February of first-degree murder for
the June 25 slaying of Frank Wesley McCool, 16.

"I can only ask that you forgive me," Culpepper said to McCool's
family in court. "If you can, find it in your hearts to have mercy on
me and forgive me for what I've done. I'm sorry."

Public Defender Adam Tebrugge will appeal, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
reported for Saturday's editions. Tebrugge told Circuit Judge Bob
Bennett that the sentence amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, a
violation of Culpepper's Eighth Amendment right.

Culpepper concocted a plan to lure McCool to his Sarasota County condo
so he could beat him in retaliation for stealing a half-pound of
marijuana.

Two other teens, Vincent Norcia, 14, and Frank Tritschler, 15, pleaded
guilty to second-degree murder for their parts in helping lure McCool
to Culpepper's home.

Norcia received an 18-month to seven-year sentence in August and
Tritschler received a 10-year prison sentence in December. Both
testified against Culpepper.

[~Sea~]

What a shame, one kid dead and 3 others lives basically ruined because
of a half pound of weed. So much for the theory that pot makes one feel
"laid back"!!!

[Cathy]

This is so sad, I could see killing him for a pound...........but half a pound?

sea...@webtv.net (~Sea~) wrote in message news:<14284-3CE...@storefull-2134.public.lawson.webtv.net>...

> What a shame, one kid dead and 3 others lives basically ruined because
> of a half pound of weed. So much for the theory that pot makes one feel
> "laid back"!!!

in all seriousness this is a down right shame!!