Crime and Punishment: Child’s Play, Deadly Play
Coming Soon
On 28th July 1999, six-year-old Tiffany Eunick mysteriously died in the home of Kathleen Grossett-Tate near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kathleen, a Gulf War veteran and Florida state trooper, had been babysitting the petite first-grader for a friend. She had last seen Tiffany alive playing with her 12-year-old son Lionel. A routine visit to the residence by sheriff's deputies turned up no evidence of foul play. Until two days later.
Investigators learned from Tiffany's autopsy report that the little girl had sustained more than 30 multiple traumatic injuries, including brain haemorrhages and a lacerated liver, and that the medical examiner had classified her death as a homicide. When police brought Lionel in for questioning, he confessed to playing a game of tag with Tiffany. Details of the crime disturbed investigators. Lionel weighed nearly 170 pounds and stood a head taller than his 48-pound victim. Lionel had also told them that he had been watching television as his playmate lay dying.
Less than two weeks later, a grand jury indicted Lionel Tate on first-degree murder charges. Lionel's lawyer then devised a highly unconventional strategy to show that Tiffany's death was a tragic accident and that Lionel had imitated wrestling moves he had seen on television, which led to her death. It became known as the ‘wrestling defence’ and soon captured headlines across the nation.
Despite the burgeoning support for the 12-year-old murder defendant, the jury wasn't convinced that Tiffany's death was the result of child's play. On 25th January 2001, Lionel Tate was convicted of first-degree murder and became the youngest American sentenced to life in prison without parole. Reaction to this harsh sentence now reached beyond America's borders. While Lionel‘s sympathizers pleaded for a more lenient punishment, some chose to speak out for his victim, 6-year-old Tiffany, who had been all but forgotten amidst public outcry.
In 2003, an appeals court overturned Lionel's conviction on a technicality. Instead of a retrial, the prosecution made Lionel a plea offer. In exchange for pleading guilty to second-degree murder, he would be released on time already served and spend the next ten years on probation. At the urging of his attorneys and family, Tate accepted the offer.
On 29th January 2004, Lionel was officially freed at a bond hearing. The next day, he celebrated his 17th birthday.
Investigators learned from Tiffany's autopsy report that the little girl had sustained more than 30 multiple traumatic injuries, including brain haemorrhages and a lacerated liver, and that the medical examiner had classified her death as a homicide. When police brought Lionel in for questioning, he confessed to playing a game of tag with Tiffany. Details of the crime disturbed investigators. Lionel weighed nearly 170 pounds and stood a head taller than his 48-pound victim. Lionel had also told them that he had been watching television as his playmate lay dying.
Less than two weeks later, a grand jury indicted Lionel Tate on first-degree murder charges. Lionel's lawyer then devised a highly unconventional strategy to show that Tiffany's death was a tragic accident and that Lionel had imitated wrestling moves he had seen on television, which led to her death. It became known as the ‘wrestling defence’ and soon captured headlines across the nation.
Despite the burgeoning support for the 12-year-old murder defendant, the jury wasn't convinced that Tiffany's death was the result of child's play. On 25th January 2001, Lionel Tate was convicted of first-degree murder and became the youngest American sentenced to life in prison without parole. Reaction to this harsh sentence now reached beyond America's borders. While Lionel‘s sympathizers pleaded for a more lenient punishment, some chose to speak out for his victim, 6-year-old Tiffany, who had been all but forgotten amidst public outcry.
In 2003, an appeals court overturned Lionel's conviction on a technicality. Instead of a retrial, the prosecution made Lionel a plea offer. In exchange for pleading guilty to second-degree murder, he would be released on time already served and spend the next ten years on probation. At the urging of his attorneys and family, Tate accepted the offer.
On 29th January 2004, Lionel was officially freed at a bond hearing. The next day, he celebrated his 17th birthday.
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