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Lionel Tate Sentencing Saga Continues, Faux Leftists Make Excuses for Murder (posted 12 March 2001)
The Lionel Tate sentencing saga continues, and I continue to be appalled by faux leftist outrage such as this post to Atlanta’s indymedia. Look, it is really important to look at the way Tate’s gender socialization as a boy to brutality, conflict, masochism, and misogyny
as in the WWF’s product, may have contributed to the form his horrendous crime took. And it’s really important to look at how his race and class may have affected the willingness of the State to place him in sadistic situations such as being housed with adult prisoners at 14 years old. There are a lot of problems to deal with here.
But But But… none of that reduces the fact that Lionel Tate savagely beat a six year old girl to death. This was not playing
— how anyone could buy the defense’s crap is beyond me. I could understand if Tate were emulating a pile driver with her consent, and it accidentally snapped her neck. It would be tragic, but it wouldn’t be brutal murder. But that’s not what happened. What happened is that Lionel Tate slammed Tiffany Eunick into a wall and he stomped her and he kicked her so savagely that her ribs broke, a piece of her liver was torn off, and her skull split open. He didn’t stop until she was dead and her body was a broken, bloody pulp.
Now, I do not believe in blood vengeance. I do agree that Lionel Tate should not have been degraded to being led out of court in chains. He should not be housed with adult inmates. He does have the right to humane conditions, psychatric help and rehabilitation, and a good education. In prison. For the rest of his natural life. What the hell kind of liberated
society do we want to build if we don’t do everything we can to separate someone who would carry out such an utterly vicious act of torturous, deadly violence against women / violence against children? The men and boys who hurt and violate and kill women and girls are not victims; they are oppressors. I do not want to have solidarity with rapists. I do not want to have solidarity with batterers. And I do not want to have solidarity with Lionel Tate.
Kenny replied:
Do you not think that Lionel’s age should be considered when deciding if it is possible that he could ever be released from prison. this was a severe crime, but it was committed by a twelve year old who didn’t have a clue as to the repercussions of his actions. I would think that after 30 to 40 years in prison he may be able to get out and be productive.
Deborah R. Hawkins, MA Esq. replied:
Hello:
I have an opinion regarding the prosecution of Lionel Tate. If anyone who reads this message/comment would please forward to me the address or telephone number of Ms. Tate I would completely appreciate it. I believe Lionel has a unique set of circumstances as his fact pattern, and I have heard many theories of defense via the print media and television, yet I have heard no one mention or come close to what I would propose for purposes of freeing Lionel Tate. In no way do I negate the substantive issues of the case. The Legal Appeal to the Courts or the Clemency Petition should focus on a specific set of procedural facts that no one is discussing. Would you help me give voice to this situation by passing my contact information on.
Thank you,
Deborah Renay Hawkins, MA Esq.
Jeanne replied:
They are now saying the death was a accident. At the age of 12 you know the difference between right and wrong. What concerns me is the way they now say the child lied about the murder. He was so cunning and deliberate. He never admitted his part. The auptopsy is what gave him away. I think that is very dangerous. The way he lied. Will he not comitt dangerous crimes and cover them up. The older you get the slicker you become.
TamTam replied:
I understand your point of view..this in fact was not totally an accident..but where was his parents? The little girl parents? As a kid, I was told as a young girl I should play with boys because they are stronger, and bigger most of the time.. and even as adults.. as a 5’2 140 lbs girl, I wouldn’t be wrestling with my husband who’s 6’2 and 180 lbs.. the force is different and sometimes when we are playing rough-housing..he sometimes as 30 year old guy have to remember I’m smaller.. and a 12 year old is not very conscience of that…and I’m sorry but I do not think you are right to call him a cold blooded killer. He is a child. If it was those young white boys that were 17,16,15 years that killed their dad with a baseball bat..they didn’t get life…..they ran out with community service hours. YOUng tate did not deserve that.. he deserve help, mental HELP! When Mr. Bush was driving drunk..he was threatning more than one person..young people make mistakes.. he should know that..his whole family is a bunch of MISTAKES!
Sonja replied:
Just because he was 12 years old does not mean that this monster deserves a second chance. He brutally killed the little girl. At twelve you definately know what is right or wrong and you would know if you were hurting somebody. What kind of person would not know that he was hurting somebody while he is beating her to death? This young man IS a cold blooded killer and he does not deserve a lesser sentence. He actually deserves a more severe sentence for what he did. He deserves death and eternity in Hell! I can not beleive that people are actually trying to shift the blame to television and even the victim’s parents. Dumb people in society today tend to point the blame to everybody except the person who did it. It is time to accept the blame for what you did and to accept the consequences.
Ashley replied:
What Lionel committed was wrong, but at twelve sentence to life in prison is crazy. He will never get to experience a life as a kid again. I believe he should of went to a juvenile justice center instead. Also my question is why is a twelve year old boy playing with a six year old girl, and where were the parents at when this boy was committing this crime?
Thank you Ashley a student at Youngstown State University
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J. Bongiovani replied:
I would just like to say that in any event, children will often lose themselves in the moment and go overboard. It is at that point that we discover the limits of behavior. Based upon the evidence presented in this case, it clearly shows that the limits of Lionel’s behavior do not stop at murder or causing severe human harm. No matter if the defense is ignorance, insanity or any other “temporary” state of mind, we should judge based upon ultimate capacity and the ability to control ones actions. Hence, we should be glad that in this case we have discovered a threat to society early on.
Steve replied:
The comments above I believe are very accurate. You can’t tell me Lionel Tate wasn’t aware that he was severely hurting this girl. He was twice her age and probably double her weight. Surely, screams of agony, at some point, had to alert him to the pain and suffering he was inflicting. But, in my opinion, even if he did realize what he was doing, it was the control of the situation he fed off of. Everything else was mute. We should be relieved this threat has been caught early on, albeit at the expense of a 6 year old little girl.
Anne Harrison replied:
Lionel Tate’s sentance is appropriate. He is 12. At 12 I was babysitting younger siblings. He knew what he was doing the injuries are far too serious for him to be a “nieve and innocent” child. Tate needs some sort of psychiatric evaluation and rehabilitation before he should be allowed back out into society. I have yet to see an article that shows that Tate felt any remorse specifically for what he did, so much as sadness that he was caught. If anyone knows of any article where he expressed deep sorrow for killing the girl I would love to read them. This is not a boy it is a monster that should not be shoved in the closet and ignored only to grow bigger and stronger he should be combatted head on.
Joe American replied:
I am sick and tired of minority people commiiting crimes then saying they recieved stiff sentences cause they were victims of discrimination. He should have got the Electric chair!!
arnwhye replied:
Joe American or is it Joe Barbarian is exactly what makes this country what it is today. I am shocked that an adult wuld wish that a child should be put to death in the electric chair! And how many other racial groups have their children spend life in prison for murder, they can murder 10 people and not get that sentence, so do your homework! I have an eleven year old son and I could not imagine hime doing anything like that. Not to excuse the actions, but what child would not lie about it! what child would not be afraid and not fess up? he needs to be punished, but this is too much. I am ashamed that any of this happened.
tk replied:
tate’s IQ is below 90.
Adrian Martinez replied:
From my viewpoint Lionel Tate shouldn’t be treat it as an adult, firs he was 12 when he committed the crime and I think he should be let free by the parole commision, under several conditions. According to the Constituition Article IV, the ciitizen of each state will have the same rights as citizens of every state. Tate is being treat it as violating his rights, because in California kids under 18 are not treat it as an adults, so neither should tate be. Tate should appeal to the Supreme Court and let his rights known.
Chocolate replied:
I think that Lionel Tate knew exactly what he was doing. I have a 12 and 6 year old and I explain and teach that there are consequences for what you do GOOD and BAD. And playing like that of any NATURE is NULL and VOID. A life sentence is severe buthe most definitely NEEDS more than 3 years. It has set a bad example for him as well, he has taken a beautiful girls life and he still has the chance to live and experience things. As far as the earlier comment about him not being able to live his life as a kid or be a kid. Did she or does she have the chance? He doesn’t deserve to be happy. On the last note, you can fault the parents a little, why because I am 1000000% sure that was not the first time he has played with her or anybody else foer that matter like that. This time just had serious results, negative. Now he has to suffer the consequences for his actions.
stacey replied:
I am a student who attends Chatsworth High School, going into my 2nd year as a sophmore. I had never heard of the prosecution of Lionel Tate until today ( 10-3-05) in my english class. I found interest in this case once i had heard that a 12 year old boy (then ) had murdered a 6 year old girl. In my opinion as a highschool student who is 15, I believe that Lionel Tate who was 12 at the time did not have the Knowledge of what was happening at the time of her murder. He was in which i believe was only immitating the “wrestling moves” as what he probablly seen on t.v. I also believe that the final conviction for Lionel Tate was not a fair one. He was given a life sentence possibilly without porole was shocking. He was being convicted as an adult but who really had the knowledge of a young child. He is going to live life now locked up in a cell, but most importantly, he will be living each day with the thought of him murdering his friend..(don’t you think that would be enough to live with?)..he also had developed an eating disorder which probally triggerd his mind set on what happend. Going through the Trials, dealing with the loss of his friend, being prosecuted as an adult & being convicted at life in prison, not being able to hug and hold his mother like every child should be doing and most importantly hearing the words MURDER over and over again must be hard for a child at the age of 12 who was being convicted. I fully and completely understand how horrible and disugusting the murder turned out to be..with the shatterd skull, the laserations of the lung etc. But overall every child espescially a “boy” likes to get into playing rough with there friends but never really realizes how much of an impact they can really have if someone had been injured. Every 12 year old child likes to play “rough”. Every 12 year old child makes “mistakes”. Every 12 year old child is still “learning & growing” and still finding out what is “right & wrong”…Overall, He was just young at the time and did not have the mind set of knowing how to have fun safely..He was a young child at the time..
Catherine Vreeland replied:
I see your point and I concur. This was a very sensitive case and I feel that maybe just maybe in some way the mother were held somewhat responsible for this act and that maybe just maybe Lionel HAD a chance ever this case may have gone differently. I had the chance of being a student of the judge in this case and I learned alot of information about the case and was priveleged to be a part of the courtroom action. But this case and its outcome is not a result of the judge or of the child’s (Tate) but of the lack of care by the mother to take care of HER RESPONSIBILITIES AS A MOTHER AND RAISE AN UPSTANDING AND RIGHTEOUS CHILD.
Alex Johnson replied:
Lionel Tate did not deserve to go to prison at all. He should have been sent directly to a place where they treat troubled children.
I cannot believe that his new charge of robbery has sent him to prison for 30-years, in fact, he wasn’t even guilty of robbery - just a breach.
What a disgrace to American liberty.
myspace.com/antesha replied:
on the corner’s report, the cause of Tiffany’s death is listed as “blunt force trauma.” Lionel Tate, who has a reputation as a schoolyard bully, injured her little body to the extent that she bled from her mouth, nose, eyes, and ears. Her skull was fractured in several places and her ribs were cracked. Part of her brain was flattened inside her head. The beating Lionel Tate gave her was so severe, part of Tiffany’s liver broke loose and was floating free inside her body….I THINK THEY SHOULD KILLED DAT LIL BASTERD HE KNEW RIGHT FROM WRONG!!!!
scineram replied:
If he would have been killed it would have been better for most people. Not for him and family but why should I care?