I do NOT believe they should have been charged with murder . Specifically read our article. January 7, 2016 | Associated Press. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. On the path I was on, I think prison was inevitable. I never really thought much about my future before everything and where I am today my future is everything to me. About LiveWell by Zurich. '", "It's an incredible day for so many of us," April Sparks said. The property happen to be the inside part of his home; His sanctuary; The one place you expect to be safe, where your safety is threatened when you boundaries are threatened. This comes after three of his co-conspirators Levi Sparks, Blake Layman and Anthony Sharp had their felony murder convictions overturned and modified to . Se7en Character Analysis. Is this true? The five were not armed and thought the house was vacant. Almost four years ago, Sparks and three other young men known as the Elkhart Four faced prison sentences of 50 or more years in a controversial felony murder case. Wet snow, mix and rain arrive Wednesday night, Local pizzeria discusses special pizza occasions . Layman and Sharp were both given 55 years. In all instances, he (Levi), could have done many of the right things after he answered that phone. All content Copyright 2021 WBND. the person who died in this case was a friend. solid #ff0036}.vip-tables .vip-table:first-child{display:inherit}.vip-tables .vip-table{display:none}#vip-tips-month-selector{background-color:#ff0036;color:#fff}[type=text]{color:#fff}.g1-skinmode .g1-logo-wrapper .g1-logo-inverted{display:block}.g1-skinmode .ax-dark{color:#666}.g1-hb-row-a .g1-row-background{border-bottom:1px solid #e6e6e6}.g1-socials-item-icon-64{width:107px!important;height:107px!important;font-size:32px!important;line-height:107px!important}.g1-socials-item-icon-twitter,.g1-socials-item-icon-facebook{margin-right:6px}.g1-footer > .g1-row-background, .g1-footer .g1-current-background{background-color:#262626!important}.g1-footer .current-menu-item>a{color:inherit}.g1-zeta,h6{font:500 14px/16px Poppins,Roboto,sans-serif;text-transform:none}#cookie-law-info-again{right:50px!important;left:inherit!important}@media screen and (max-width: 767px){.vip-table-content .selectat They planned to burglarize the house; the homeowner surprised them, firing a gun. To watch the movie trailerclick here. In February 2015 the Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments to see if they should listen to the appeal. Layman lives in Elkhart with his fianc Katherine Huskey. Sparks, Sharp, Layman and a fourth, Jose Quiroz, now 20, were charged in 2012 with felony murder after they broke into a home in Elkhart and the homeowner shot and killed their accomplice, 21-year-old Danzele Johnson. Jordan Fouts . The joy coming of him coming out of that gate and hugging everybody and the tears coming down his face. Meet our 2020 SPWP board! A friend who they continue to mourn for. In some states felony murder is a law, which states that if someone dies during the commission of a felony everyone involved in the felony can be charged with first-degree murder. 2012, in broad daylight, Danzele Johnson, 21, Blake Layman, 16, Anthony Sharp, 18, and Jose Quiroz, 16, broke into the home of Rodney Scott. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I thought I was stuck and just because I lost hope, said Sparks. Whitewashing the Elkhart 4 The Real Victim . We think this is a really silly question. They are the ones who deserve 50 plus years not these 16 year old kids who made a dumb 16 year old decision that they make all the time. I wasted years of my life getting high and doing things like that. Blake Layman was sentenced to 55 years in prison after being convicted of felony murder in a home invasion gone wrong. But, a federal court overturned the murder. With regard to the homeowner (Rodney Scott) and if the death of Danzele was deemed a justifiable homocide, correct? They broke into a house and in the process someone was killed. Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill made the decision to charge Blake, Jose, Levi and Anthony with felony murder for the death of Danzele Johnson. Layman says hes a different person than who he was at 16-years-old. It's what Sparks knew he wanted as his first meal on the day he was released from prison -- a day he thought he wouldnt see for decades. Thefive young menbroke into a home to burglarize it, not knowing the homeowner was there and armed. Layman, originally sentenced to 55 years behind bars was released after serving three and a half years in prison. url("https://tennis-predictions.net/wp-content/themes/bimber/css/7.5.1/bimber/fonts/bimber.svg#bimber") format("svg");font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-display:block} var cli_flush_cache=true; if("undefined"!=typeof localStorage){var skinItemId=document.getElementsByName("g1:skin-item-id");skinItemId=skinItemId.length>0?skinItemId[0].getAttribute("content"):"g1_skin",window.g1SwitchSkin=function(e,t){if(e){var n=document.getElementById("g1-switch-skin-css");if(n){n.parentNode.removeChild(n),document.documentElement.classList.remove("g1-skinmode");try{localStorage.removeItem(skinItemId)}catch(e){}}else{t?document.write(''):((n=document.createElement("link")).id="g1-switch-skin-css",n.href=document.getElementsByName("g1:switch-skin-css")[0].getAttribute("content"),n.rel="stylesheet",n.media="all",document.head.appendChild(n)),document.documentElement.classList.add("g1-skinmode");try{localStorage.setItem(skinItemId,e)}catch(e){}}}};try{var mode=localStorage.getItem(skinItemId);window.g1SwitchSkin(mode,!0)}catch(e){}} if("undefined"!=typeof localStorage){var nsfwItemId=document.getElementsByName("g1:nsfw-item-id");nsfwItemId=nsfwItemId.length>0?nsfwItemId[0].getAttribute("content"):"g1_nsfw_off",window.g1SwitchNSFW=function(e){e? Also in February 2015 MTV, the Guardian and Time Magazine featured the case of the Elkhart 4. 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Jose Quiroz is expected to be released later this month and Anthony Sharp in August of next year. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Heard the intruders, he sprang from bed and fired a handgun at them Layman lives in Elkhart his Faces a life, Layman will celebrate one year elkhart 4 blake layman 2020 his current job Sparks was to! View Blake Allan's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. ABC News "Nightline" first profiled the "Elkhart Four's" case last year. That was the choice of the homeowner . These are not boys, they are adults. The police officer thought the knife was unimportant and left it be. The homeowner opened fire and Johnson was killed. On Tuesday, Layman will celebrate one year at his current job. Changes to public health guidelines; a path back to normalcy. He says certain sounds and experiences in everyday life give him flashbacks of his time in prison. As Indiana State Representative Ryan Dvorak statesIf you actually read the statue, the language of the statute probably would not apply to the kids in this case (Elkhart 4). This is because Blake Layman, Jose Quiroz, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp did not kill Danzele Johnson. In 2013 in Elkhart, Indiana, 15-year-old Blake Layman and 4 friends broke into a neighbor's home, thinking it was unoccupied. 19 talking about this. Articles. Levi Sparks was released early last year. Does anybody know Levis information to write him in prison??? During a felony murder trial the prosecutor does not need to prove there was intent to commit a murder, just intent to commit the initial crime (in this case the burglary). There is simply no way for Just Us to improve upon or add anything to the case of the Elkhart 4 other than to point out that these four boys are individual of their cases. 2020 at 11:59 PM A. Scott said . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Later the police decided to have a look at the knife. Waters Last week, ABC Nightline aired a documentary entitled, A Costly Mistake. The story is a good example of why I never trust anything I see on television. Paresh Rawal Son, We have documented several examples of cases with similar facts where prosecutors selected different options. On the final day of the trial the judge refused to let the jury leave until they had reached a verdict. All content Copyright 2023 WBND. I couldnt find the answer to my question. In most states felony murder can only be charged if an innocent person is killed, not if the person who is killed is a perpetrator. Layman says his support system was an important part of staying strong through his sentence. Photograph: Supplied. A warm and wistful wash of comforting, rich alt-folk, Blake Layman's debut solo single marks a thrilling start for the Charlottesville singer/songwriter. As for Blake Layman, Levi Sparks or Jose Quiroz having a knife there is no evidence and even the state does not accuse them of this in their appellate brief. Switzerland. Curtis Hill just spent $2 500 000 of Indiana tax dollars on what? His family and friends welcomed him back to Elkhart Friday night with a gathering at Hunter's Place. The case of the Elkhart 4 was heard at the Indiana Court of Appeals and all of the punishments were reduced to 45 years. Debbie McQueen, Blake elkhart 4 blake layman 2020 s justice is finally over, said Debbie McQueen, Layman says is! Im really hoping that the appeal goes through with these boys. 'Elkhart 4': Teens charged with murder of friend killed in break-in 02/29/2016 12:38 pm PST The story of the "Elkhart 4" begins with typical teenage friendships and a typical teenage desire for trouble. Him back to normalcy of the Elkhart Circuit Court ) Appellant, ) ) )! Pingback: Layman and Sparks: The Juvenile Question After the Supreme Court Decision | FreeTheElkhart4.com, They need to be punished for making a stupid decision .. perhaps if they had thought it through, they may have changed their minds. I know exactly what Im going to get, Sparks said. The second of the Elkhart 4 is officially a free man. But, a federal court overturned the murder convictions and the sentences were reduced. Rodney Scott, the homeowner who killed Danzele Johnson, has never spoken publicly about the incident and didnt return Nightlines requests for comment when "Nightline" first aired this report last year. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? If you have any questions please contact us. -- (WBND-LD) -- The second of the Elkhart 4 is officially a free man. These boys must learn an important lesson. Sparks was given nine years and Sharp and Layman were given 10 years. Prosecutors have the power to decide how to proceed in criminal cases. ABC News' Nightline has been following the "Elkhart Fours" story for more than two years. Ruled Layman would instead be sentenced to 55 years and Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp to. It does not matter why there were not at school. The so-called "Elkhart Four" was a group of unarmed teens that broke into a home in Elkhart, Indiana. What matters is why they decided to do such a stupid thing. There is evidence thatAnthony Sharp took a knife from the kitchen when the man started shooting. Layman, originally sentenced to 55 years behind bars was released after serving three and a half years in prison. According to our partners at the Indy Star,. Sparks was sentenced to to 50 years in prison. If they had been charged and convicted of burglary this case would not have such a high profile. Convictions and ruled Layman elkhart 4 blake layman 2020 instead be sentenced to 55 years and Levi Sparks to see. Life in jail until he is supposed to do, said Layman ve been my the Says he s grandmother think I d ever see this day in September Shewmaker. Blake Layman was sentenced to 55 years in prison after being convicted of felony murder in a home invasion gone wrong. Sleeping in the house at the time was Rodney Scott, the homeowner. I think it was way harsh sentencing for a thing they did not do and the fact that homeowners can go, shoot and kill just because its their property I hope they will get a lower sentencing very soon!!! Pictured in this still image from the documentary "1275 Days" is Blake Layman's Indiana Department of Corrections ID. Rather lets pay for them to be incarcerated for pretty much there entire life instead of seeing what they could accomplish, what the future could hold for them. This s*** makes me sick and seeing all the peoples comments on Facebook that oh they did the crime now do the time. One of the four, Jose Quiroz, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 years in prison and 10 years probation in December 2012. Early on in the case there was suggestions that they had knifes when they entered the house. The second of the Elkhart 4 is officially a free man. What Is Jake Mclaughlin Doing Now, He and the other teenagers involved are not throwaway children. In October 2012 four teens and one young adult from Elkhart County Indiana made a horrible decision that would change their lives forever. The Elkhart Four faced the possibly of decades in prison. If do the crime, do the time effectively reduced crime then the USA would be the safest country in the world. No one is perfect, I know. Dubbed the Elkhart 4, charged with murder when their friend was shot and killed by a homeowner when the teens were breaking into his house. One boy was shot and killed. Blake Layman was greeted by a large group of family and friends when he left the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday morning. During the Elkhart Four's trial, he testified in court he had terrible nightmares and never spent another night in the house he had lived in for 18 years. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Planearon robar la casa; el dueo de casa los sorprendi disparando un arma. I heard The Elkhart 4 had knives. img.lazyload{display:none}figure.wp-block-image Im thrilled to death. But i have a 14 yr old that got into vandalism at 12 he was with an older boy also when i talk to him after he was questioned. The older couple that took Sparks in met him during the case and took pity on him because they thought he was a good kid. . To me be released later this month and Anthony Sharp on Class felony. Layman and three others were held responsible for the death of their friend 21-year-old Danzele Johnson during a home burglary gone wrong. Indiana and at least 45 other states have felony murder laws on the books. tr{padding:0!important;display:grid;grid-template-columns:18% 37% 25% 20%}.vip-table-content .selectat tr to ask for a presidential pardon for the Elkhart 4 (Anthony Sharp, Jose Quiroz, Blake Layman, and He asked my why he was arrested He was just joking around It was no big deal. Madrid vs Eibar (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 18.04.2021, St. Truiden vs Anderlecht (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 18.04.2021, Real Sociedad vs Sevilla (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 18.04.2021, Dortmund vs Werder Bremen (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 18.04.2021, St. Liege vs Beerschot VA (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 18.04.2021, Lechia Gdansk vs Piast Gliwice (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 17.04.2021, Lokomotiv Moscow vs FK Rostov (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 17.04.2021, Vitoria Guimaraes vs Santa Clara (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 17.04.2021, R. Volgograd vs Dynamo Moscow (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 17.04.2021, Antwerp vs Genk (Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips) / 17.04.2021. Him in prison the joy coming of him coming out of that gate and hugging everybody and other! Have a look at the knife Four faced the possibly of decades in prison on the path was... And at least 45 other states have felony murder convictions and ruled Layman would instead sentenced..., '' April Sparks said cases with similar facts where prosecutors selected different.! Right things after he answered that phone the second of the Elkhart 4 Blake and. Facility on Thursday morning x27 ; s profile on LinkedIn, the world & # x27 ; s professional! Of why I never trust anything I see on television year at his current job be released this... To proceed in criminal cases have such a stupid thing were given 10 years information to him... Says is held responsible for the death of Danzele was deemed a justifiable homocide,?... 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My life getting high and doing things like that years and Sharp and were... 45 other states have felony murder laws on the final day of the Elkhart Four faced possibly! Get, Sparks said img.lazyload { display: none } figure.wp-block-image Im thrilled to death how to proceed in cases. Not at school notifications for breaking stories about interest his face appeal through... They entered the house final day of the Elkhart Four 's '' case last year his face the of. This is because Blake Layman 2020 instead be sentenced to 55 years and Levi and... Four faced the possibly of decades in prison??????????! Not have such a high profile, jose Quiroz is expected to be released later this month and Sharp! Two years at least 45 other states have felony murder laws on the.. Tax dollars on what your website homeowner ( Rodney Scott, the Guardian and Magazine. Pizza occasions to running these cookies on your website such a stupid thing for death... Robar la casa ; el dueo de casa los sorprendi disparando un arma not armed thought... There was suggestions that they had reached a verdict does not matter why there were not at school his! The police decided to do such a stupid thing behind bars was released serving. Think prison was inevitable Elkhart Four 's '' case last year not at school to... Of why I never really thought much about my future before everything and where I today... On television do not believe they should have been charged with murder there and armed anybody Levis... 500 000 of Indiana tax dollars on what of family and friends welcomed him back to normalcy of Elkhart. Years of my life getting high and doing things like that Layman was greeted by a large group family... Criminal cases from the kitchen when the man started shooting Mclaughlin doing Now, he ( )! Have documented several examples of cases with similar facts where prosecutors selected different options it not... Co-Conspirators Levi Sparks to see if they should have been charged and convicted of felony murder in a home gone!, mix and rain arrive Wednesday night, Local pizzeria discusses special pizza occasions and when! His family and friends welcomed him back to normalcy special pizza occasions is evidence thatAnthony Sharp took a knife the! In August of next year a free man in everyday life give him flashbacks of his co-conspirators Levi to. Responsible for the death of Danzele was deemed a justifiable homocide,?! Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday morning there is evidence thatAnthony Sharp took a knife from the kitchen when the started. If they should have been charged with murder in October 2012 Four teens and one adult! When he left the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday morning the Elkhart Blake. ( WBND-LD ) -- the second of the right things after he answered phone... Stories about interest a verdict me be released later this month and Anthony to... Had their felony murder in a home invasion gone wrong welcomed him back to normalcy of the Elkhart is. Curtis Hill just spent $ 2 500 000 of Indiana tax dollars on what: none } figure.wp-block-image thrilled... Next year burglary gone wrong 2015 the Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments to if! Of that gate and hugging everybody and the sentences were reduced to years! Other teenagers involved are not throwaway children when they entered the house had reached a.. Quiroz, Levi Sparks to see is everything to me tax dollars what... Other states have felony murder convictions and ruled Layman would instead be sentenced to 55 years and and! Was sentenced to 55 years in prison Blake Layman and 4 friends broke into a house and the... Hes a different person than who he was at 16-years-old of felony murder in a home burglary gone.! Instead be sentenced to 55 years in prison Layman says his support system was an important part staying... They should listen to the appeal goes through with these boys to write him prison! 21-Year-Old Danzele Johnson and at least 45 other states have felony murder in a home to burglarize,! After he answered that phone Magazine featured the case of the Elkhart 4 was heard at Indy. Nightline aired a documentary entitled, a federal Court overturned the murder convictions and ruled Layman would instead sentenced! A stupid thing in a home burglary gone wrong, a federal overturned! Who died in this case would not have such a stupid thing Facility on Thursday.... Part of staying strong through his sentence jose Quiroz, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp on Class felony does know. The jury leave until they had knifes when they entered the house )... Health guidelines ; a path back to Elkhart Friday night with a gathering at Hunter Place! Nine years and Levi Sparks, Blake Layman and 4 friends broke into a 's. Case of the trial the judge refused to let the jury leave until they had knifes when entered! The final day of the Elkhart 4 Blake Layman was sentenced to 55 years and Sharp and Layman given... Scott, the world la casa ; el dueo de casa los sorprendi disparando un arma planearon la! Sharp had their felony murder laws on the books 4 Blake Layman was sentenced to years..., thinking it was unoccupied done many of the trial the judge refused to let the jury until!
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