Judge Thomas J.S. Waxter sentenced Aaron Speaks, 23, of the 2100 block of N. Guilford Ave today to 50 years in prison for attempted first-degree murder and a concurrent 20 years in prison for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. A Baltimore jury convicted Speaks June 6, 2008. The State had asked for the maximum penalty allowable under law, life in prison plus a consecutive 20 years. Details:
On August 6, 2007 at approximately 4:18PM the victim, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was walking in the 300 block of East 21st St. when Speaks crept up behind him and shot him one time at close range in the back of the neck. A CitiWatch pole camera captured Speaks feeling the scene. Witnesses testified that only one person approached the victim, only one shot was heard and only one person fled the scene. Another witness testified that shortly after the shooting the defendant admitted to shooting the victim. This shooting left the victim paralyzed from the neck down; he remains on a ventilator and is unable to speak without medical intervention.Assistant State’s Attorney Tonya LaPolla of the Firearms Investigation Violence Enforcement (F.I.V.E.) Division prosecuted this case.
11 comments:
Attempted murder that leaves a victim paralyzed is a crime that deserves the death penalty.
to ppatin:
wow, such a flippant and uninformed response to a man's life. as a member of this young man's family i feel the need to tell you he's not a "dog that needs to be put down". he has a family and 5 children. and his family also feels for the victim and his loved ones. so, while you've felt the need to arbitrarily sentence him to death without knowing anything,perhaps you should educate yourself on the ramifications of such a sentence for all concerned and connected to both of these human beings.
Heather:
That piece of shit left another human paralyzed. Spare me your sob story about how his family "feels for the victim," until feelings can repair spine damage then they mean nothing. As for him having five kids (probably to five different babymommas) the fact that he's too dumb to use condoms doesn't make him any less culpable for what he did.
As for not knowing anything, try reading this:
"On August 6, 2007 at approximately 4:18PM the victim, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was walking in the 300 block of East 21st St. when Speaks crept up behind him and shot him one time at close range in the back of the neck."
That's all I need to know. Oh wait, let me guess, next you're going to tell me that he was a good guy who got mixed up with a bad crowd, and he was in the process of turning his life around when he got arrested.
no, not a sob story, just this young man's unfortunate reality and the price he has to pay for his own poor choices.
however, saying he deserves death?
not a punishment to fit the crime.
people who rape and kill children, now they deserve death but, seem to only get lenient sentences like a soft bed in an asylum.
no one has made any excuse for him.
perhaps you should reread my comment.
my point is, he doesn't deserve the death penalty for what he's done.
unfortunately, his punishment of 50 years will be what it is...practically a lifetime of not being the positive force in his children's lives that he could have been.
he chose to live that lifestyle and now must face his consequence.
and no, there aren't five different "baby mommas".
wow, another uninformed and flippant response by someone without all the facts.
The only reason this thug's victim isn't dead is luck (or bad luck, depending on how you view a life of quadriplegia, personally I'd rather die) and excellent medical care. Should he get a less severe sentence than a murderer just because he was incompetent? BTW, he did not make a "poor choice," he destroyed the life of another human being. This is not some dumbass who got caught with a bit of dope in his pocket, we are talking about a brutal violent felon.
Your comment about "being the positive force in his children's lives that he could have been" is also laughable. Thugs and murderers are generally exceptionally parents.
*exceptionally BAD parents, that was a typo in the previous post.
well, that's your opinions and i have mine.
and by the way, "feeling sympathy" for the victim and his family is not for you to accept.
i'll allow his family to accept it or not.
aaron did make poor choices; against the advice of family who warned him repeatedly to change his ways or end up dead or in jail.
so, yes he did make poor choices.
nothing is laughable about this young man's ability to parent before he made of life changing choice sir, only your thought processes when making snap judgements about someone's family.
why don't you run for public office, change the sentencing laws, and channel your outrage into legislation.
I nominate Patin for judge, jury, and executioner.
typical neocon response...invoke a lipstick wearing pitbull with a tanning bed and 4 brain cells.
whoops..should put on my reading glasses now, i misread the name that john nominated.my bad,
Ha! she does know how to field dress a moose, I hear! What more qualification could someone need to be an elderly-man-heartbeat way from the most powerful job in the world?!
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