A killer's comfort

Tall Man · June 14, 2002, 03:26 PM

Killer asks jury to spare his life after verdict in pawn shop case

Friday, June 14, 2002
BY HERB FRAZIER
Of The Post and Courier Staff

http://www.charleston.net/pub/news/local/14sanders1.htm

Tyrone Sanders said he's sorry he killed West Ashley pawnbroker Joe Howell in December 2000 and asked a jury Thursday to spare his life.
While testifying during the penalty phase of his capital murder trial, Sanders said if he's sent to prison for life he would try to help other inmates. Saying he's more comfortable confined than free, Sanders said that while in prison, he would preach about Jesus and teach inmates to read and write.
Living also would allow him to teach his infant son right from wrong, he testified at the Charleston County Courthouse.
But Solicitor Ralph Hoisington asked Sanders why jurors should believe him, since he lied to get out of trouble before.
The solicitor said that Sanders intended to kill Howell when he placed a gun to his head during the robbery at Best Bet Gun and Pawn Shop two days before Christmas.
Sanders said he didn't intend to kill Howell. He said he shot him in the head when Howell made a move, thinking he might be reaching for a gun. Sanders said he was startled when he shot Howell, whom he intended to rob for a "quick fix" of cash to pay bills and hire an attorney to represent him on a pending armed robbery charge.
Sanders said he got away with about $1,000 and 10 pistols.
Howell's sister, Suzie Levisen, said that when Howell was murdered, his mother, Mildred Howell, was murdered, too, Levisen said. Mildred Howell sleeps with a lock of her son's hair on her pillow with the hope she will dream of him, Levisen said.
"All of the family has been robbed," Levisen said, while wiping away tears. "The cruelty that was inflicted on (her brother) is going to leave us in a pain that is not going to go away with time." Levisen noted that she had no chance to say good-bye to her brother. "We only have the horror of how evil murder can be."
The trial began Monday. The jury convicted Sanders on Tuesday of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and armed robbery.
Defense attorney Ashley Pennington had conceded his client's guilt because the robbery and the sound of the fatal gunshot was recorded on the store's surveillance camera.
When Sanders was arrested at his girlfriend's house in Summerville, Charleston County deputies found the tape in the attic.
Two other suspects, Willie Benson and Matthew Perry, both of Charleston, are each charged with murder and armed robbery in the case. If convicted, they would not face the death penalty.
Testimony resumes today at 9 a.m.

===========

Takes quite a bit of gall to suggest to the jury that your comfort level behind bars should determine the outcome of your sentence....

TM

Fred Hansen · June 14, 2002, 04:06 PM

Hang him.

Jason Demond · June 14, 2002, 04:51 PM

He should ride the lightning!

SpyGuy · June 15, 2002, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Tyrone Sanders said he's sorry he killed Joe Howell

So what.

Quote:

Saying he's more comfortable confined than free

Confine him to a pine wood box and a small plot of earth.

Quote:

he would preach about Jesus

I'm not a religious man, but he if wants to do some preaching, I'm sure he'll have plenty of souls to listen where he's going.

Quote:

Living also would allow him to teach his infant son right from wrong

I'd say dying will certainly teach his son about the consequences of being wrong.

Quote:

Sanders said he didn't intend to kill Howell.

Like that matters.

Execute the bastard.

Ed Brunner · June 15, 2002, 06:26 AM

Is the man stupid or what???
Robs and kills to fund his pending trial for armed robbery??
Saves the tape?????

Darwin for sure.

GunGeek · June 16, 2002, 03:39 AM

We are asking everyone to turn off uneeded lights and household apliances so that we may FRY THIS GUY WITH EVERY VOLT WE CAN SPARE!!!

40ozflatfoot · June 17, 2002, 07:15 AM

Quote:

...Solicitor Ralph Hoisington asked Sanders why jurors should believe him, since he lied to get out of trouble before.

With his history, it's not surprising.

Request for clemency denied.

Tamara · June 17, 2002, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Sanders said he was startled when he shot Howell, whom he intended to rob for a "quick fix" of cash to ... hire an attorney to represent him on a pending armed robbery charge.

Probably not the best thing to admit to a jury.

Thumbs down.

MuzzleBlast · June 17, 2002, 07:54 AM

Yeah, that's the best part: committing robbery so he can pay his lawyer to fight a robbery charge.

Smoke him.

foghornl · June 17, 2002, 08:46 AM

'Toast' is a word that comes to mind. And I am not speaking about breakfast.

gryphon · June 17, 2002, 09:01 AM

FIring squad might be a more fitting sentence, since he executed an innocent civilian and stole firearms.

I don't think anyone on the squad would want a blank.

Jim V · June 17, 2002, 07:03 PM

"On top of Ol' Sparkey'
all covered with a hood.
Throw the switch,
and fry him good."

So it's lousy lyrics.

"You can be sure if it's Westinghouse."

flinch_of_gt · June 17, 2002, 07:09 PM

"Napalm sticks to crooks!"

"Mighty mighty Napalm, sticks to crooks!"

thumbtack · June 18, 2002, 05:13 PM

I hope he FRIES.

Russ · June 19, 2002, 12:34 PM

Jim V,

Thanks for the chuckle! Your lirics have potential.

dkochan · June 19, 2002, 12:39 PM

This criminal does not deserve any clemency. Execute him.

June 14, 2002, 03:26 PM	#1
Tall Man Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2000 Posts: 210	A killer's comfort Killer asks jury to spare his life after verdict in pawn shop case Friday, June 14, 2002 BY HERB FRAZIER Of The Post and Courier Staff http://www.charleston.net/pub/news/local/14sanders1.htm Tyrone Sanders said he's sorry he killed West Ashley pawnbroker Joe Howell in December 2000 and asked a jury Thursday to spare his life. While testifying during the penalty phase of his capital murder trial, Sanders said if he's sent to prison for life he would try to help other inmates. Saying he's more comfortable confined than free, Sanders said that while in prison, he would preach about Jesus and teach inmates to read and write. Living also would allow him to teach his infant son right from wrong, he testified at the Charleston County Courthouse. But Solicitor Ralph Hoisington asked Sanders why jurors should believe him, since he lied to get out of trouble before. The solicitor said that Sanders intended to kill Howell when he placed a gun to his head during the robbery at Best Bet Gun and Pawn Shop two days before Christmas. Sanders said he didn't intend to kill Howell. He said he shot him in the head when Howell made a move, thinking he might be reaching for a gun. Sanders said he was startled when he shot Howell, whom he intended to rob for a "quick fix" of cash to pay bills and hire an attorney to represent him on a pending armed robbery charge. Sanders said he got away with about $1,000 and 10 pistols. Howell's sister, Suzie Levisen, said that when Howell was murdered, his mother, Mildred Howell, was murdered, too, Levisen said. Mildred Howell sleeps with a lock of her son's hair on her pillow with the hope she will dream of him, Levisen said. "All of the family has been robbed," Levisen said, while wiping away tears. "The cruelty that was inflicted on (her brother) is going to leave us in a pain that is not going to go away with time." Levisen noted that she had no chance to say good-bye to her brother. "We only have the horror of how evil murder can be." The trial began Monday. The jury convicted Sanders on Tuesday of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping and armed robbery. Defense attorney Ashley Pennington had conceded his client's guilt because the robbery and the sound of the fatal gunshot was recorded on the store's surveillance camera. When Sanders was arrested at his girlfriend's house in Summerville, Charleston County deputies found the tape in the attic. Two other suspects, Willie Benson and Matthew Perry, both of Charleston, are each charged with murder and armed robbery in the case. If convicted, they would not face the death penalty. Testimony resumes today at 9 a.m. =========== Takes quite a bit of gall to suggest to the jury that your comfort level behind bars should determine the outcome of your sentence.... TM

June 14, 2002, 04:06 PM	#2
Fred Hansen Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2001 Location: The middle of WWIII Posts: 3,335	Hang him. __________________ "This started out as a documentary on gun violence in America, but the largest mass murder in our history was just committed -- without the use of a single gun! Not a single bullet fired! No bomb was set off, no missile was fired, no weapon (i.e., a device that was solely and specifically manufactured to kill humans) was used. A boxcutter! -- I can't stop thinking about this. A thousand gun control laws would not have prevented this massacre. What am I doing?" Michael Moore

June 14, 2002, 04:51 PM	#3
Jason Demond Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 1999 Location: Mivonks, Michigan Posts: 1,846	He should ride the lightning! __________________ "ACCEPT NOTHING LESS THAN FULL VICTORY!" General Dwight D. Eisenhower June 6, 1944 ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!

June 15, 2002, 06:26 AM	#5
Ed Brunner Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 1998 Location: Natchez, MS, USA Posts: 2,562	Is the man stupid or what??? Robs and kills to fund his pending trial for armed robbery?? Saves the tape????? Darwin for sure. __________________ MOLON LABE UNTIL IT'S OVER! Ed

June 16, 2002, 03:39 AM	#6
GunGeek Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 287	We are asking everyone to turn off uneeded lights and household apliances so that we may FRY THIS GUY WITH EVERY VOLT WE CAN SPARE!!! __________________ The Gun Geek Vero Firearm Academy

June 17, 2002, 07:54 AM	#9
MuzzleBlast Senior Member Join Date: September 11, 2001 Location: Arkansas. Much better place since Bill and Hillary went home. Posts: 1,041	Yeah, that's the best part: committing robbery so he can pay his lawyer to fight a robbery charge. Smoke him. __________________ Molwn labe!

June 17, 2002, 08:46 AM	#10
foghornl Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,354	'Toast' is a word that comes to mind. And I am not speaking about breakfast.

June 17, 2002, 09:01 AM	#11
gryphon Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,069	FIring squad might be a more fitting sentence, since he executed an innocent civilian and stole firearms. I don't think anyone on the squad would want a blank. __________________ Your suffering will be legendary, even in HELL!! --- PinHead, HellRaiser 2

June 17, 2002, 07:03 PM	#12
Jim V Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 1999 Location: SE Michigan - USA Posts: 4,038	"On top of Ol' Sparkey' all covered with a hood. Throw the switch, and fry him good." So it's lousy lyrics. "You can be sure if it's Westinghouse." __________________ *MOLON LABE* If it ain't metal, single stack & single action, it ain't a 1911 no matter what it looks like. 1911 Forum THE TUBBY CURMUDGEON

June 17, 2002, 07:09 PM	#13
flinch_of_gt Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2001 Location: Snow Bunny Country Posts: 371	"Napalm sticks to crooks!" "Mighty mighty Napalm, sticks to crooks!" __________________ "If Plan A is taking multiple .308 hits to the back, I suggest a Plan B."

June 18, 2002, 05:13 PM	#14
thumbtack Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2001 Location: Garland, Texas Posts: 724	I hope he FRIES. __________________ Nothing to see here, move along.

June 19, 2002, 12:34 PM	#15
Russ Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2001 Location: Kentucky, Refugee from California Posts: 1,097	Jim V, Thanks for the chuckle! Your lirics have potential.

June 19, 2002, 12:39 PM	#16
dkochan Member Join Date: July 18, 2001 Posts: 59	This criminal does not deserve any clemency. Execute him. __________________ www.KeychainDefense.com -- Self-protection on your keychain www.Keychain-Tools.com -- Tool kits that fit on your keychain or in your wallet www.PocketLights.com -- LED flashlight that fit on your keychain or in your pockets www.SlingshotDepot.com -- Your source for slingshots and accessories www.e-Headlamps.com -- LED hands-free lighting