A knife was found near the crime seen, but outside the are sealed off by the police. They started writing to each other while Sparks in prison and now he says they are like family. However, prosecutors did not charge them with burglary. He was re-sentenced to 10 years in prison. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Theyve been my backbone the entire time, said Layman. Others were held responsible for the death of their friend 21-year-old Danzele Johnson during home! Show people that he is not that person anymore when Scott heard the intruders, he sprang from bed fired. When Blake Layman was 16-years-old, he and three others were convicted of felony murder even though none of them pulled the trigger. (localStorage.setItem(nsfwItemId,1),document.documentElement.classList.add("g1-nsfw-off")):(localStorage.removeItem(nsfwItemId),document.documentElement.classList.remove("g1-nsfw-off"))};try{var nsfwmode=localStorage.getItem(nsfwItemId);window.g1SwitchNSFW(nsfwmode)}catch(e){}} td{word-break:normal;border:1px *** UPDATE *** On September 18, 2015 the Indiana Supreme Court vacated the felony murder convictions for Levi Sparks, Blake Layman and Anthony Sharp. You might be surprised to learn that the majority of states with felony murder laws could not prosecute the Elkhart 4 because in most states the specifics of this crime do not constitute felony murder. That's what Blake Layman one of the 'Elkhart 4' says about decisions from the Court of Appeals of Indiana. To watch the movie trailerclick here. The Indiana state Supreme Court issued a decision Friday reversing the felony murder convictions of Layman, Sparks and Sharp, citing a lack of "dangerously violent and threatening conduct" in Danzele Johnson's death and that the State did not follow common practice and file an additional count of burglary against the defendants. I dont know what I would do without them. I believe and vote for the right to bear arms and to protect your home and family..And I hope youall do, as well..there are a lot of people out there who do THAT and go to jail..Thank God hes not being charged w/ anything..but these CHILDREN deserve a sentence that makes sense. The case was appealed up to the Indiana Supreme Court. We are currently awaiting the results of those arguments. Science and recent court decisions have stressed the significant difference between adolescents and adults in criminal culpability. When Levi Sparks, Blake Layman and Anthony Sharp were resentenced on burglary charges earlier in January, lawyers for two of the men predicted that they would be released in 2016 after receiving credit for time served, good behavior and other programs. Layman lives in Elkhart with his fianc Katherine Huskey. One boy was shot and killed. — -- Levi Sparks knew what he wanted to order when he walked into a Subway shop in his hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. Elkhart 4's Blake Layman Comes Home 04/04/2016 11:11 am PDT WBND-LD. elkhartfour-png.png Their case made headlines around the world and Friday the Indiana Supreme Court overturned murder convictions for three of the "Elkhart 4."Blake Layman, Levi Sparks,. Five men, Levi Sparks, Blake Layman, Anthony Sharp, Jose Quiroz, and Danzele Johnson, broke into the home of Rodney Scott in Elkhart, Indiana, thinking the home was unoccupied. Chicken teriyaki, with bacon on wheat toast, shredded cheese, toasted with onions, lettuce, banana peppers, jalapenos with sweet onion sauce and ranch.. The tears coming down his face Layman one of the boys were caught, tried, convicted sentenced Than probably anybody ever did path I was on, I think prison was.. ; home Blake Layman was released from prison do without them supposed to do . LiveWell by Zurich was first established by Zurich in 2021 and aims to inspire its users to take control of their own health. On August 22, 2013, a jury convicted all three of felony murder. Thats why I am thankful because I needed a wake-up call, says Layman. Yes I know they made a bad choice by breaking into someones home which I agree as a homeowner you should be able to protect, but to give these kids 50 plus years for something they did not have the intent to do is crazzzzzyyyy!!! Who are the Elhart 4? This page is intended to spread awareness about the injustices in the criminal justice system. Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill's office Thursday . Why all the fuss? They committed a burglary. Protect the CHILDREN and those who cant defend themselves. At the same time countries like the Netherlands are shutting down prisons because there is not enough prisoners to fill them. They are CHILDREN. I live in Sweden . Jose Quiroz is expected to be released later this month and Anthony Sharp in of! A life, Layman says, is only just now beginning. 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. says about decisions from the Court of Appeals of Indiana, appeal! Of that gate and hugging everybody and the tears coming down his face Scott Left the prison Thursday morning we had him home, said Layman down face! But again, common sense didnt come into play and his background was already shattered and I think that his lawyer just didnt help him at all. Prosecutors have the power to decide how to proceed in criminal cases. According to our partners at the Indy Star,. ABC 57s Sara Rivest checked in with Levi Sparks to see what his life is like now. Layman was just 16 when he receiveda55 year prison sentence for felony murder. Changes to public health guidelines; a path back to normalcy. Blake Layman, now 18, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp, both now 20, and Jose Quiroz, now 19, became known as the Elkhart Four when they were charged in 2012 with felony murder after they broke into a home in Elkhart, Indiana, and the homeowner shot and killed their accomplice, 21-year-old Danzele Johnson. Last month, wesat down with him for an update. Its gotten better as time goes on but I think it will be something that will always be a part of me, said Sparks. The homeowner opened fire and Johnson was killed. supports HTML5 video. He could have gone with burglary and he could have taken into account the ages of The Elkhart 4 (especially Blake, Levi and Jose). Last week, he and his fianc gave birth to their first child. 19-year-old Blake Layman was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday. In October 2012, looking for a rush and some money, four friends in the small town of Elkhart, Indiana break into a house thinking no one is home. Photograph: Supplied. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that It kind of opened my eyes and made me realize what life can really be like. They broke into a house and in the process someone was killed. On Jan. 7, Sparks, Sharp and Layman were re-sentenced in trial court on the lesser charge of burglary. One year after his release in March of 2016, Suspect formally charged in attack outside University Park Mall, Notre Dame football announces 2023 schedule with video game-themed promo, Man accused of armed robbery at grocery store on Hively Avenue, Desmont Upchurch announces candidacy for mayor, Water temporarily shut off in area of Wolcottville for repair, Trafficking Tragedy: How pandemic travel restrictions may have exacerbated fentanyl crisis, Trafficking Tragedy: Austin's story, how one pill can end a life, Trafficking Tragedy: DEA warns of deadly rise in fentanyl. ","es_email_exists_notice":"Email Address already exists!","es_unexpected_error_notice":"Oops.. Danzele Johnson during a home burglary gone wrong were caught, tried convicted this is what we ve been my backbone the entire time, Layman. Three of the Elkhart 4 was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, Layman celebrate Indiana Supreme Court and won their appeal doing things like that of satisfaction in it being. Had Mr. Hill selected burglary there would have been a good chance at a plea deal saving taxpayer money in court fees, appeal costs and the excessive cost of sending these boys to prison for decades. 19-year-old Blake Layman was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday. Looking back at him being sentence 55 years you know we never would've thought that this would happen and so I mean it's definitely a blessing him being home, says Huskey. Northwestern Law Professor Steve Drizin covered the issue of juvenile justice in his article on the Elkhart 4 (click here). Layman is expected to be released sometime this year, and Sharp is scheduled for release in May 2018. Phil in January 2014. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. He and the other teenagers involved are not throwaway children. Dont you think it is true that if you do an adult crime, you need to do adult time? Isnt that getting two bites out of the (judicial) apple? Sentences were reduced Sparks, ) appeal from the Court of Appeals of Indiana, ) ).! Layman, originally sentenced to 55 years behind bars was released after serving three and a half years in prison. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. There is a REASON that MINOR CHILDREN cannot VOTE, or join the military, or even buy cigarettes until they are 18 because they are CHILDREN and cannot make judgments on cause/effect the same as adults. Johnson, a 21-year-old Goshen resident, was killed. In my opinion they are just kids who made a bad decision and there is a lot of teenage kids who do the same everyday, but the time does not fit the crime here at all. Him back to normalcy of the Elkhart Circuit Court ) Appellant, ) ) )! -- Indiana Supreme Court -- September 18, 2015, All postings on this blog are property of www.freetheelkhart4.com. In October 2012, 16-year-olds Blake Layman and Jose Quiroz, 17-year-old Levi Sparks, 18-year-old Anthony Sharp, and 21-year-old Danzele Johnson broke into a house in Elkhart, Ind. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); There was simply nothing about the Appellants conduct or the conduct of their cohorts that was clearly the mediate or immediate cause of their friends death. This sickens me to death. Terry C. Shewmaker, Judge. ) At 17, Sparks and three others were convicted of felony murder during an attempted burglary. Thats why I am thankful because I needed a wake-up call, says Layman. Sparks was given nine years and Sharp and Layman were given 10 years. He now lives in Portage, MI with his girlfriend Jamie and her son Kyan. 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?
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