Probation or prison? How much time does a home-invasion robber deserve?
The fate of 19-year-old Steven Demund McKnight will likely be in jurors’ hands later today.
The panel must decide what kind of punishment McKnight deserves for breaking into an 83-year-old man’s home, roughing him up and robbing him of $90. He faces anywhere from probation to life in prison.
McKnight, an admitted gang member with a lengthy juvenile record, has admitted his wrongs, apologized to the victim and asked the jury for mercy.
Jurors will take that into consideration.
Meanwhile, the victim, Sandy Thompson, is frail and blind in one eye. He was sharp and witty on the witness stand, but the home-invasion terrified him, he said, and changed him forever.
That also will weigh heavily on jurors’ minds.
Tarrant County District Attorney Joe Shannon, age 70, is personally trying this case, partly because he wants to see what a jury thinks about home-invasions, a fast-growing crime in Tarrant County and beyond.
How serious will they take it? How much times does a home-invasion robber deserve?
Like I said, I got my thoughts. And they jive these:
Take that punk out back of the courthouse and toss a rope over a tree branch. And televise it to every jail and prison in the country to send a message to the other scumbags out there: You prey on the elderly or the disabled, and we as a society will have your ass.
I coulda been on that jury. I didn't see anything on the late local news, so I checked the online Startlegram - he got 18 years: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/03/02/2891199/fort-worth-man-sentenced-to-18.html
ReplyDeleteI like to sleep outdoors on the deck. Sienna sleeps on the S-lounger next to me. She's not as big as Murph, and doesn't have much intimidation factor, but she does have good hearing and will alert with a low growl if anyone approaches. If someone gets to the corner of the house, the motion detector light goes on, which will help illuminate the green light pipe Hi-Viz sights on the P-90 to guide the 'little blue pills' (Glaser Blue 145 gr) to the wannabe Steven McKnight, at approximately 1350 fps, sorta taking the jury out of the equation.