Tuesday, September 25, 2007

25 Years for First-Degree Murder

At a hearing late today Timothy Izzard, 50, of the 3000 block of Lanvale St. pled guilty to first-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon (an unknown sharp object). Judge Althea Handy sentenced Izzard to life in prison with all but 25 years suspended. (Meaning he'll potenially be eligible for parole in 18 years and 9 months). The gory details:
At 9:30 a.m. December 23, 2006 Izzard was driving Freddie Thornton’s car and crashed it in Anne Arundel County and attempted to identify himself as the victim using the victim’s identification. After admitting to police he was not Thornton he was found to be a suspended driver and police issued Izzard traffic tickets and released him. At approximately noon the same day a citizen found the dead body of Freddie Thornton, 69, in Leakin Park. He had been stabbed 37 times and was wearing only his boxer shorts. Baltimore police identify Izzard as the suspect and arrest him December 27, 2006. Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps, of the Homicide Division, prosecuted this case.

10 comments:

John Galt said...

Crime? A bad thing ? Ya think ?

Stephen said...

To be honest, I don't understand this whole "suspended sentence" thing. Why go through the process of giving someone life in prison and then suspending most of that? Before I moved to Baltimore, I didn't realize sentences were suspended so often.

Would someone please explain how this is legal? Why not sentence Izzard to 25 years period (regardless of leniency)?

John Galt said...

An overnight stabbing in Northwest and continued vehicular Traumacides #'s 1 and 2.

John Galt said...

As best I understand it, the idea is to grant the court discretion not to suspend the sentence, but rather to suspend the passing of the sentence.


In theory, the court then reserves the right to reimpose the passing of sentence in the event of a reoffense violating the probationary terms of the suspension.

In practice, I don't see the reversion taking place in Baltimore City courts.

Our neighboring state of Pennsylvania doesn't allow for suspended sentences.

Emptyman said...

I refer you to Md. Code Ann., Corr. Svcs. Art. §7-301(d)(2), which reads in pertinent part:
"An inmate who has been sentenced to life imprisonment as a result of a proceeding under § 2-303 or § 2-304 of the Criminal Law Article [first degree murder] is not eligible for parole consideration until the inmate has served 25 years or the equivalent of 25 years considering the allowances for diminution of the inmate's term of confinement under § 6-218 of the Criminal Procedure Article and Title 3, Subtitle 7 of this article."

Good time credits -- "diminution . . . of confinement" -- essentially means that, if he's a very well-behaved inmate, a year of DOC time is 9 months of time in the real world. So 25 years x 9 months = 18.75 years before he's parole-eligible. Since he's 50, he'll be almost 70 by the time he's released... and if he's violated parole in the past, he might not make parole the first time around.

ppatin said...

"Our neighboring state of Pennsylvania doesn't allow for suspended sentences."

And I believe that Virginia doesn't allow, or at least heavily restricts parole. We should do the same thing.

John Galt said...

The F.O.P. has a contract.

Now how does the City propose to staff up its manpower based upon a 5% increase?

I'm betting they just plan to underpolice my neighborhood for the forseeable future.

Maurice Bradbury said...

thanks for the link galt, I almost missed that man!
.. and thanks for the rule Empty! I need to save that somewhere. At least dude will be old. ish. Though they say 70 is the new 50!

ppatin said...

I think that it's a little more complicated than what emptyman posted. When Donta Allen was given a "life" sentence for killing Linda Trinh I remember reading that he'd be eligible for parole in a little under 12 years.

Stephen said...

Thanks, John! That really clears things up for me. It's interesting that you mention PA, as I lived there my entire life until moving to Baltimore two years ago.