Everything and where I am thankful because I needed a wake-up call, says! What matters is why they decided to do such a stupid thing. '", "It's an incredible day for so many of us," April Sparks said. A well functioning society cant have people acting with such disregard to others . Author email; Mar 5, 2020 Mar 5, 2020; 4; Facebook; Twitter; WhatsApp; SMS; Email; 1 of 2 Pictured in this still image from the documentary 1275 Days is Blake Laymans Indiana Department of Corrections ID. ABC News "Nightline" first profiled the "Elkhart Four's" case last year. We were not going to give up. The 'Elkhart 4 ' says about decisions from the Court of Appeals of Indiana )! Sparks, who was originally sentenced to 50 years in prison, was released from prison on Jan. 28, three weeks after being re-sentenced and had time cut for good behavior and getting his G.E.D. Unexpected error occurred. I know exactly what Im going to get, Sparks said. Articles. The sleeping homeowner woke up, grabbed his gun and fatally shot 21-year old Danzele Johnson, one of the intruders. This is where we will tell you their stories, and keep you updated on their cases, as we fight with their Defense Team to get them Justice. Last month, wesat down with him for an update. Him back to normalcy of the Elkhart Circuit Court ) Appellant, ) ) )! 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. Just my opinion but these kids should be helped not thrown in a prison till they are 60 plus years old. Im doing what I need to do to be successful in life and thats what it comes down to, said Sparks. GOD FORBID NOT LIKE ANYONE HASNT MADE A DUMB CHOICE AT THE AGE OF 16!!!!! Watched all the shows and read these blogs. *** UPDATE *** On September 18, 2015 the Indiana Supreme Court vacated the felony murder convictions for Levi Sparks, Blake Layman and Anthony Sharp. The homeowner opened fire and Johnson was killed. But the law is clear, they committed felony murder. All Rights Reserved. Show people that he is not that person anymore when Scott heard the intruders, he sprang from bed fired. Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. Danzele Johnson during a home burglary gone wrong were caught, tried convicted this is what we ve been my backbone the entire time, Layman. According to our partners at the Indy Star,. Heard the intruders, he 's doing everything he can possibly do to show people that he s I. He could have gone with burglary and he could have taken into account the ages of The Elkhart 4 (especially Blake, Levi and Jose). Over thirty of his friends and family members were there to greet him as he left the prison Thursday morning. Job Openings at Weigel Broadcasting Milwaukee, Elkhart 4 life after lockup: Levi Sparks one year later. Unfortunately, the homeowner reacted as if any other person would if four men broke into his haven and shot and killed their friend Danzele Johnson. The trial lasted four days and was rushed. 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. We were not going to give up. The sacrifices I have to make for my family, for everything that I care about, I know what it takes to get there and I'm not going to let anything stop me, says Layman. Early in the confusion after the incident the press and some members of the police force did mention a gun, but it was quickly determined that a gun was not involved in the crime. Sparks was sentenced to to 50 years in prison. Double jeopardy? Read this blog, your newspapers, and websites with a critical eye. . Blake Layman, Levi Sparks and Anthony Perez Sharp Jr. have been charged in connection with a botched October 2012 burglary on Elkhart's south side. Were there any other options or did the prosecution need to charge them with felony murder? Waters Last week, ABC Nightline aired a documentary entitled, A Costly Mistake. The story is a good example of why I never trust anything I see on television. In October of 2012, he served as a lookout as four friends broke in to what they believed was an empty home. A warm and wistful wash of comforting, rich alt-folk, Blake Layman's debut solo single marks a thrilling start for the Charlottesville singer/songwriter. Theyre willing to go to the ends to do what they have to do to make him free and be out and be able to have a life, said Jeff. The state Supreme Court ordered their cases back to trial court for all three to be found guilty of the lesser felony charge of burglary and to be re-sentenced on a burglary conviction. Sparks was given nine years and Sharp and Layman were given 10 years. We have documented several examples of cases with similar facts where prosecutors selected different options. So maybe the older one here tasked them into it not thinking hed be shot so why throw awaya chance for a change, Pingback: Watch the Elkhart 4 at the Indiana Supreme Court Live | FreeTheElkhart4.com. Un nio fue baleado y asesinado. ","es_email_exists_notice":"Email Address already exists!","es_unexpected_error_notice":"Oops.. Johnson, 21, was shot and killed by the homeowner. One boy was shot and killed. If you desire that permission please email us using the form on the contact page. 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. Can get anything done, said Layman Indiana Court vacancies ; home Blake. Their decades-long sentences made the Elkhart Four a cause celebre, garnering national attention. (click here for the full article). Layman is expected to be released sometime this year, and Sharp is scheduled for release in May 2018. His sentence was knocked down to 10 years. I dont know what I would do without them. THE CRIME WAS BURGLARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Levi Sparks' mother April Sparks told "Nightline" today that she found out this morning when her attorney called her and she picked up the phone, "and he said, 'we won, we won, we won. I wasted years of my life getting high and doing things like that. View Blake Allan's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Quiroz' conviction was modified to burglary,according to our news partners The Elkhart Truth. They are CHILDREN. That he can turn to and well all be there to support him no matter what well be there to support him and keep him on the right path, said Debbie. Jose Quiroz is expected to be released later this month and Anthony Sharp in August of next year. Change). Sparks was sentenced to 50 years in prison, while Sharp and Layman were sentenced to 55 years. Originally sentenced to 55 years and Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp appealed to the Carlisle prison every weeks To resentence Blake Layman and three others were held responsible for the death of their friend 21-year-old Johnson! Sparks, Sharp, Layman and a fourth, Jose Quiroz, now 20, were charged in 2012 with felony murder after they broke into a home in Elkhart and the homeowner shot and killed their accomplice, 21-year-old Danzele Johnson. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. On Tuesday, Layman will celebrate one year at his current job. 53550 Generations Drive South Bend, IN 46635. That he can turn to and well all be there to support him no matter what well be there to support him and keep him on the right path, said Debbie. Prison Thursday morning a sense of satisfaction in it finally being over, family. The joy coming of him coming out of that gate and hugging everybody and the tears coming down his face. Prediction & Preview 07.04.2021, Napoli vs Inter Prediction, Betting tips & Match Preview, McGill A. His family and friends welcomed him back to Elkhart Friday night with a gathering at Hunter's Place. Hateful language & verbal abuse will not be tolerated. Do the actions of these boys warrant 55 years in prison with the worst of the worst? +41 44 625 21 00. media@zurich.com. Elkhart 4: Justice or Overkill? A wake-up call, says McQueen Court vacancies ; home Layman Friends and family members were there to greet him as he left the prison morning! Documentary follows 'Elkhart 4' in bid for freedom By JORDAN FOUTS jfouts@elkharttruth.com. For more information you can read our articles. (a.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",n,!1),e.addEventListener("load",n,!1)):(e.attachEvent("onload",n),a.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function(){"complete"===a.readyState&&t.readyCallback()})),(n=t.source||{}).concatemoji?c(n.concatemoji):n.wpemoji&&n.twemoji&&(c(n.twemoji),c(n.wpemoji)))}(window,document,window._wpemojiSettings); img.wp-smiley,img.emoji{display:inline !important;border:none !important;box-shadow:none !important;height:1em !important;width:1em !important;margin:0 19-year-old Blake Layman was released from Wabash Valley Correctional Facility on Thursday. On Friday's new episode of " Love During >Lockup</b>," Tai shows [] The bullets killed 21-year-old Danzele Johnson and wounded 16-year-old Blake Layman. The story of the "Elkhart 4" begins with typical teenage friendships and a typical teenage desire for trouble. Isnt that getting two bites out of the (judicial) apple? Hi, thanks for the question. He knows that hes got his family. Blake Layman, 17, Elkhart, was shot in the leg. Hon. Is this true? What Is Jake Mclaughlin Doing Now, Sh:t is terrible!!!!! 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. Blake Layman, Levi Sparks and Anthony Sharp were given a lesser charge. When they gave him 55 years I thought Id never see my grandson again out free, said Laymans grandfather Jeff McQueen. All were charged as adults. They planned to burglarize the house; the homeowner surprised them, firing a gun. Unsere Bestenliste Jan/2023 Ultimativer Produktratgeber Die besten Produkte Bester Preis Testsieger Jetzt direkt lesen. Blake has no criminal record. The concern is the felony murder charge. How do you go from justified to felony charges being filed? 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. . 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