He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to time served and 10 years' probation. In his handwritten letter to the judge, Tate said his public defender, H. Dohn Williams, didn't understand "my mental condition. He also quoted Florida law by statute number in saying the judge should order a psychiatric evaluation.
Williams said outside court that Tate was placed under "watch" at the county jail because of his suicidal statements. Asked about Tate's claims in the letter, Williams said, "I can't tell you what Lionel thinks.
If Tate is found incompetent, the judge could order him hospitalized or otherwise given treatment, which may prevent him from returning to jail. He was found competent to understand legal proceedings and their consequences shortly before he reached his plea agreement in January Instead of holding another trial, prosecutors offered Tate a plea that would sentence him to the three years he has already served. He was released earlier this week and had to enter the plea to finalize the deal.
Tate had claimed he accidentally killed the girl while imitating professional wrestling moves he had seen on television. Tate, who turns 17 on Friday, now says he leaped from a staircase and accidentally landed on her chest. As part of the deal, Tate will be under house arrest for a year and probation for 10 years.
He also must complete 1, hours of community service and receive regular counseling. Circuit Judge Joel Lazarus said he was convinced that Tate understood that one violation of the agreement would send him back to prison. Tate's plea follows several years of contentious debate over a Florida law that requires children convicted of first-degree murder to get life in prison without parole. One Florida lawmaker has filed legislation that would allow children under 16 the eligibility of parole if they had not been previously convicted of violent crimes.
The sufficient conditions of the felony murder rule were listed by the judge Joel T. Lazarus during sentencing. Therefore, Tate was sentenced to life in prison without the prosecution having to prove that he intended to kill or injure, or realized that his acts are likely to kill or injure, or even that a typical child of his age would or should realize this.
On February 19, , Tate pleaded no contest to the pizza robbery and was sentenced to 10 years in state prison. The sentence will run concurrently with his year sentence for violating his probation. Tate is currently imprisoned in the Charlotte Correctional Institution.
On March 1, , Tate accepted a plea bargain and was to be sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment in a sentencing hearing in April He was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea for robbery but was finally sentenced to 30 years in prison on May 18, for violating probation. On May 23, , Tate was charged with armed burglary with battery, armed robbery, and violation of probation, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said.
In January , a state appeals court overturned his conviction on the basis that his mental competency had not been evaluated before trial. This opened the way for Tate to accept the same plea deal he originally turned down, and he was released on one year's house arrest and 10 years' probation.
On September 3, , Tate was detained and held in prison for violating the terms of his house arrest when he was found out of his house and carrying an eight-inch knife. While the children were downstairs playing, Tate's mother called to them to be quiet.
Tate came up 45 minutes later to say that Eunick was not breathing. He said that while they were wrestling, he had her in a headlock and the child's head hit a table.
Although this was considered an accident, this was profiled as murder. Lionel Alexander Tate born January 30, is the youngest American citizen ever sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
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