Shoplifting Charge Nets Life Sentence
Habitual criminal off the streets permanently
Dennis Turner
June 23, 2010
Southaven, MS - FAST FACTS
Southaven, MS
6/23/2010
Life in prison for a shoplifting charge might sound a little extreme, but that's the sentence a Memphis man got after getting caught in the web of Mississippi's justice system.
His long record got him classified as a "habitual offender" and a judge sentenced him to three consecutive life terms.
Darnell Wilson made one trip to Mississippi and became a life-long resident. Not because he liked the area so much, it's because he committed three felonies, got caught, and faced a much less tolerant justice system that's putting him behind bars for good.
Darnell Wilson chose the wrong place to commit a crime. He'll soon be on a prison bus headed for a lifetime behind bars, on a shoplifting charge.
It's something that some find rather shocking. "I think that they should have to do quite a bit of time but I don't know about life sentence." said Jessica Riley of Olive Branch.
Law officers say Mississippi is far less tolerant than some places when it comes to repeat offenders.
Down here, it's three strikes and you're out. For good "No matter the cause if you have the three felonies prior, if you come here and you commit another felony, you're going to get life in prison in this state." said Southaven Police Chief Tom Long.
That's just the case with Darnell Wilson.
The road to Wilson's life sentence begins at the Kohl's store in Southaven. Employees reportedly spotted him shoplifting and called police.
Store surveillance cameras caught him in the act.
Police narrowly escaped injury as he got away, speeding down crowded Goodman and Airways roads during rush hour, before officers finally stopped him.
Police found stolen items in his car, charged him with three felonies and then learned about his long record in Tennessee.
"In this particular case, Darnell Wilson, between 1985 and 2009 had eighteen arrests, ten convictions, four felonies and six prior felonies that were reduced to misdemeanors to make up his ten convictions. Somebody, he should have learned by then." said Assistant District Attorney Smith Murphy.
So police and prosecutors made an example out of him, hoping to send a message to other criminals, and the public.
"So before they come to Mississippi, they think about it and that keeps crime away." "Does that make you feel safer?" "Makes me feel a lot safer." said Riley.
"The message is very simple. You know, if you're gonna commit a felony you better keep you stupid self in a state that lets you get away with 'em." added Long.
Wilson's not the first in DeSoto to face this fate. Four others went before him just this year, and Murphy tells me he's got dozens waiting in line to go before a judge, and maybe off to prison, for life.
LINK TO VIDEO
http://www.wreg.com/videobeta/049d1c21-e568-4bce-9924-ee51246ac6d1/News/Shoplifting-Life-Sentence
April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008