Lionel at Trial, Age 14

Some great justice news today:A Florida appeals court ordered a new trial for Lionel Tate--the youngest person ever sentenced to a life term for murder. Lionel was 12 when he killed a playmate. He claimed at trial they were just wrestling.

Appellate judges ordered a new trial Wednesday for a teenager serving a life sentence for killing a 6-year-old playmate, raising questions about whether child murderers are competent to be tried as adults and locked away with no hope of parole.

The judges at the 4th District Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday that Lionel Tate's first-degree murder conviction and life sentence should be reversed because Tate's competency should have been evaluated before the trial. The boy's lawyers had claimed he was imitating pro wrestlers when he killed Tiffany Eunick in July 1999.

Tate's family turned down a plea bargain before the trial that would have given him a three-year sentence.

Details of the case and sentence are here and here. The text of the decision is here.

Lionel Today