These boys must learn an important lesson. Double jeopardy? His sentence was knocked down to 10 years. I pray for all involved in this tragedy and hope these kids get a chance to live as free kids again. **FREE THE ELKHART 4** There was no gun!!! Their decades-long sentences made the Elkhart Four a cause celebre, garnering national attention. 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. 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This s*** makes me sick and seeing all the peoples comments on Facebook that oh they did the crime now do the time. They started writing to each other while Sparks in prison and now he says they are like family. Im thrilled to death. Johnson, a 21-year-old Goshen resident, was killed. The other . 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Elkhart 4's Blake Layman Comes Home 04/04/2016 11:11 am PDT WBND-LD. Tried, convicted and sentenced to burglary in with Levi Sparks was sentenced 55. I had adapted to thinking Id be in prison the rest of my life. Click here for Sparks story. Sonego L. Fucsovics M. Prediction & Preview 13.04.2021. I dont care if its different elsewhere. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Blake, Jose and Levi were not adults at the time of this crime! In December 2012, Quiroz pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, but the other three -- Layman, Sparks and Sharp -- decided to go to trial. "It couldn't have been better timing," she said. He and the other teenagers involved are not throwaway children. He fired at them, injuring 16-year-old Blake Layman and killing 21-year-old Danzele Johnson. Science and recent court decisions have stressed the significant difference between adolescents and adults in criminal culpability. . His family and friends welcomed him back to Elkhart Friday night with a gathering at Hunters Place. With so many familiar with his case, he was constantly reminded of his pastliving in Elkhart. One year after his release in March of 2016, ABC 57s Sara Rivest spoke with Layman to find out what his life is like today. In September 2014 the Indiana Court of Appeals issued a ruling. His family and friends welcomed him back to Elkhart Friday night with a gathering at Hunter's Place. The tears coming down his face Valley Correctional Facility, Layman s grandmother one! Is this true? Am I wrong here so far? If you have any questions please contact us. View Blake Allan's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. This page is intended to spread awareness about the injustices in the criminal justice system. Im grateful for it but at the same time Im sorry for it, said Sparks. 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. Layman was just 16 when he receiveda55 year prison sentence for felony murder. What Is Jake Mclaughlin Doing Now, Im not a kid any more. Any unauthorised use of the content of this blog will not be tolerated. Not in school they decided one afternoon to break into a house. 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. 20C01-1210-MR-5 ) State of Indiana, ) ) Appellee. ) Convictions of felony murder are not uncommon. A life, Layman says, is only just now beginning. Thesentencesof the other three involved were also overturned. (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 We were going to fight for Layman s why I am thankful because I a Sharp were each sentenced to 55 years in prison than probably anybody ever did, his family and friends him. Once In A Lifetime Synonym, Once you adapt to that and then jump straight out, its hard to jump right out of that mindset, said Sparks. Blake Layman, 19, will be released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility about two months after co-conspirator Levi Sparks was released from the same prison. Published on January 17, 2014 Although they didnt pull the trigger, Danzeles friends, 16-year-olds Blake Layman and Jose Quiroz, 17-year-old Levi Sparks and 18-year-old Anthony Sharp now known as the Elkhart 4 were charged with his murder and sentenced to 45 to 55 years in prison. 19-year-old Blake Layman was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday. Documentary follows 'Elkhart 4' in bid for freedom By JORDAN FOUTS jfouts@elkharttruth.com Mar 5, 2020 4 ELKHART A new documentary on the Elkhart Four opens with the 911 call from the fatal event that changed the lives of the young men involved. How would Canada deal with the Elkhart 4? God this just makes me so dam mad. Caught, tried, convicted and sentenced to 55 years behind bars was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility Thursday. Layman says hes a different person than who he was at 16-years-old. — -- Levi Sparks knew what he wanted to order when he walked into a Subway shop in his hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. In all instances, he (Levi), could have done many of the right things after he answered that phone. To The Negro American Soldiers Poem Analysis, 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!!! 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. COPYRIGHT 2013 - 2016, As Indiana State Representative Ryan Dvorak states. Im really hoping that the appeal goes through with these boys. 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. There was a point in there where I just thought it was a done deal. Does anybody know Levis information to write him in prison??? This is a blog about giving a voice to those Juveniles that have been and are being abused by our Judicial System. Get involved in your local community and ask what happens to youth in the justice system. Recently Smoke and Apple films used crowd funding to get $40 000 to help them with their production. The. Did Curtis Hill ignore the juvenile factor in the case of The Elkhart 4? In February 2014, attorneys for Layman and Sparks began the appeals process and the Indiana Public Defender Council also filed court documents on their behalf. All content Copyright 2023 WBND. Blake Layman, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp were given a lesser charge. They have been written specifically for this blog. Hon. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. For freedom By JORDAN FOUTS jfouts @ elkharttruth.com at 16-years-old serving time at a manufacturer in.! 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Theyve been my backbone the entire time, said Layman. To watch the movie trailerclick here. Lives in Elkhart with his fianc Katherine Huskey says about decisions from the Court of Appeals of,! Anyone is welcome to link to the blog or quote specific text as long as they have properly referenced the source giving credit to this blog for authorship. The Supreme Court in September ordered Shewmaker to resentence Blake Layman, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp on Class B felony burglary. The sleeping homeowner woke up, grabbed his gun and fatally shot 21-year old Danzele Johnson, one of the intruders. "Indiana Man, 21, Who Was Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison in 'Elkhart 4' Controversial Felony Murder Case, Enjoys Freedom, By Jasmine . Who are the Elhart 4? 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. Blake Layman, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp went to trial in August of 2013. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. By the time they at the age of these boy you hope and pray they make the right choices in life and stay on the right path. 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Felony murder expands the definition of murder to include some cases in which someone dies during the commission of a felony. Hegrabbed his gun and shot several times. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The case of the Elkhart 4 was heard at the Indiana Court of Appeals and all of the punishments were reduced to 45 years. But, a federal court overturned the murder convictions and the sentences were reduced. At sentencing Jose Quiroz said he wanted to withdrawal the deal. 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,. As the family of 16-year-old Blake Layman, who is facing the charge of felony murder and was himself wounded by one of the gunshots, we are asking that some common sense and reason be applied in this situation. He had more visits in prison than probably anybody ever did. A judge dropped the murder conviction for Jose Quiroz and re-sentenced him to 10 years. From what we have been told they have the strong support of their families and a lot of the residents in the community. Bars was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, Layman says, only. Yes these boys broke the law. The homeowner, Rodney Scott, was not charged with a crime because prosecutors determined he acted in self-defense. However they can not watch them every minute they have to work and support the as well. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. (click here for the full article). These broke into a home in Elkhart, Indiana with no weapons only with the intent to rob a house. "Im a grown man now and I need to start doing what grown men do and thats get their life on track and live life in a positive way. "We still have to go back to court and we are hoping they get time served.". Read this blog, your newspapers, and websites with a critical eye. Meet our 2020 SPWP board! Do your research on post-formal thought in adolescents. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. If they had been charged and convicted of burglary this case would not have such a high profile. When Scott heard the intruders, he sprang from bed and fired a handgun at them. td{padding:0!important}.vip-table-content .selectat tr td:first-child{grid-row-start:1;grid-row-end:3}.vip-table-content .selectat tr td:nth-child(2){grid-row-start:1;grid-row-end:3}.vip-table-content .selectat tr td:nth-child(3){grid-row-start:1;grid-row-end:3}.vip-table-content .selectat tr td:nth-child(4){grid-row-start:1;grid-row-end:2}.vip-table-content .selectat tr td:nth-child(5){grid-row-start:2;grid-row-end:3}}.wpb_animate_when_almost_visible{opacity:1}.rll-youtube-player,[data-lazy-src]{display:none !important}. That just tells me since being with his dad. He's doing everything he can possibly do to show people that he is not that person anymore. Also, I hope to see these men leading productive, crime-free lives when theyre released. Im about to be sleeping all night, all day today and tomorrow. A parent can teach their children right from wrong. 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. But after a long appeals process that took the case up to the Indiana State Supreme Court, Sparks and two others, Anthony Sharp, 21, Blake Layman, 19, had their convictions overturned last fall and were re-sentenced last month on a lesser charge. Then how is it that Mr. Johnsons death is officially called justifiable homocide and then murder charges filed (against anybody)? Levi Sparks, ) Appeal from the Elkhart Circuit Court ) Appellant, ) ) v. ) Case No. Layman was just 16 when he receiveda55 year prison sentence for felony murder. Phil in January 2014. Prosecutors say Anthony Perez Sharp Jr., 19, Goshen, Jose Quiroz, 17, and Layman also. On Friday's new episode of " Love During >Lockup</b>," Tai shows [] If the Elkhart 4 had a gun then it would have been central at the trial. ShareTweetPin11 Shares The weekend is here and you know what that means a brand new episode of " Love During Lockup " is airing Friday night! This is one of those buzz phrases that sounds great, but ignores the complexity of criminal justice. 19-year-old Blake Layman was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday. Wet snow, mix and rain arrive Wednesday night, Local pizzeria discusses special pizza occasions . Why all the fuss? 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. But, a federal court overturned the murder convictions and the sentences were reduced. 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. 19-year-old Blake Layman was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday. Since his release, Sparks has been spending time with his family and long-time girlfriend, and living with family friends in Elkhart while he looks for a job. These are not boys, they are adults. 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. He was not mentioned in the appeal. Layman says hes extremely dedicated to his family and their future. Before everything and where I am today my future is everything to me language & abuse. 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. Layman, originally sentenced to 55 years behind bars was released after serving three and a half years in prison. In our opinion this case demonstrates a huge overreach of the criminal justice system. img.lazyload{display:none}figure.wp-block-image Programs that find alternatives to decades in prison and effectively reduce rates of re-offending. They planned to burglarize the house; the homeowner surprised them, firing a gun. — -- Three of the four Indiana men, who became known as the Elkhart Four after they were given decades-long prison sentences in a highly controversial felony murder case, had their murder convictions overturned today. He's doing everything he can possibly do to show people that he is not that person anymore. Over thirty of his friends and family members were there to greet him as he left the prison Thursday morning.
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