Since I ragged on Lionel Tate, the 18-year-old who killed a little girl when he was 12, it’s only fair to report the latest developments.
Last month he was accused of robbing a pizza delivery man at gunpoint, but the 13-year-old kid who said Tate did it recanted his statement:
Lawyer James Lewis said the boy, Taquincy Tomkins, has told private investigators that a 16-year-old whom Taquincy knows only as ”Willie” committed the May 23 robbery.Taquincy said he blamed Tate under pressure from sheriff’s investigators and because ”Willie” threatened to kill him, according to a transcript provided by Lewis….But Tate was arrested last month and charged with armed robbery. Police said Tate’s print had been found on a pizza box delivered to the apartment where the holdup occurred. (Source)
Whatever’s going on, whether he did it or not, Tate needs some serious intervention and direction in his life. He should be removed from that element (his neighorhood and friends) so he can have at least half a chance for a decent life. The way things are going, he’d better get used to standing in front of judges.
Previous post: Young Idiot Tate
Addendum: Apparently the pizza guy didn’t or couldn’t identify Tate if the whole thing rested on the kid’s statement. Who knows…
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I agree with you that Lionel needs guidance. I think guidance would have prevented the first tragedy and would have kept us from having to see the arrival of the second…
The police said they found Tate’s fingerprint on the box.
If Tate is innocent, then did the police make a mistake (the charitable interpretation), or did they “plant” evidence?
All this is assuming that the young kid who changed his story is telling the truth…
Send him to GITMO. Maybe he will THEN learn to respect his second and third chances at freedom IN America.
Sigh
He should be made to deliver pizza for Dominos in Newark, that would give him an appreciation for his second chance.
I don’t get it… we just found out that despite all the jump-the-gun, guilty-before-proven-innocent condemnations, Tate probably didn’t do it, and yet we’re still saying things like “send him to Gitmo.” Why is everyone so quick to get so angry?
-Daniel Naleid
Reply (Comment #6)
It seems as though we value retribution over redemption – even if the person is innocent. It is obvious to me that there is something fishy going on the with the police but why worry about police misconduct? I think Tate’s mother would be wise to move him out of the state to give him a chance at living a respectable life. As for those bent on casting his soul to damnation – I should hope you are never in a position where you have to ask for a second chance… at anything.
James, he probably can’t move out of state.
The fingerprints were on the box because he…and a group of other hungry teenagers…were eating the pizza that was left at the scene by the pizza delivery guy. May have a case for the pizza…but sending him to gitmo for eating stale dominos is a bit harsh.
I invite you to read the entire statement
at our message board.
http://www.defensefoundationforchildren.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=96
Lionel Tate was enrolled in College.
Those involved have taken steps to ensure his
success in life.
Along with certain elements of corruption and ill reporting there remain some in this area who are
in a hurry to see him fail if not to attempt to force this failure.
He has our entire support and we will continue to establish the truth of what happened in this
incident.
This is out of respect not only to Lionel,
to the community, the Judge and the family
whose loss of such a young life remains at the base of this situation.
One single accident will not determine the course of this life forever nor will the destruction of a second childs life correct it.
No one wins in destruction. The children of Miami and those we serve on a national basis are deserving of truth and protection. I am disturbed at how the child in this investigation was handled in this situation.
We must take steps to rectify this that are neither unjust or corrupt.
Denise Marhoefer
The Defense Foundation For Children USA
admin@defensefoundationforchildren.com
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