Tyrone N. Butts
APE Reporter
3
Sidney Antonio Graham
Victim's father, Travis Langley
Father of Murder Victim Unhappy with Plea Bargain
A 27-year-old Jackson man received a ten-year sentence in a murder case Friday morning.
Sidney Antonio Graham agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter in the death of Jason Parish Langley in 1997. Judge Tomi Green gave him ten years to serve and ten years suspended, under the plea bargain agreement in the case. The father of the victim, Travis Langley, to
ld the judge he did not agree with the way the case had been handled.
Jason Parish Langley, a 22-year-old waiter at the George Street Grocery Restaurant
, was brutally murdered at the Advantage Apartments in north Jackson April 24, 1997. His throat was cut. Sidney Antonio Graham got a ten-year sentence in the case before Judge Tomie Green, after he agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter. Graham will serve less than half the time of his co-defendants, Chris Burkhalter, a standout USM tailback, and his brother Tyrone, who got 20 and 25 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault.
The victim's father, Travis Langley, is very unhappy about the sentence in the case, saying Graham could be on the streets in two and a half years because he is given credit for time served since 1998. Langley was asked why he thought it ha
ppen
ed this way.
A bad justice system, a bad DA department, that's from Ed Peters to Judge Bobby DeLaughter to Faye Peterson on down, he said.
The District Attorney Faye Peterson was off and unavailab
le for comment, but WLBT did talk with Public Defender Tom Fortner, who said it was the best deal that could be worked out.
There were just some legal problems with the case, from both perspectives. I think it was better to work out a compromise, said Fortner.
Fortner believes it is possible his client, could have been cleared if the case had gone to trial. One of the witnesses in the case died before it went to trial.
**Dey Mo'**
Graham sentenced in killing
Sidney Antonio Graham could be out of prison in less than three years in the killing of a 22-year-old
man sev
en years ago, despite two prior felony convictions.
In a plea bargain agreement, Graham pleaded guilty Friday in Hinds County Circuit Court to manslaughter in the April 24, 1997, killing of Jason Parish "Puddin" Langley.
On a recommendation from Hinds County District Attorn
ey Faye Peterson, Circuit Judge Tomie T. Green sentenced Graham to 20 years but suspended 10 years. That leaves Graham 10 years to serve, with credit for time served from 1998.
"I disagree with the manslaughter plea," Travis Langley, the victim's father, told Green before she imposed the sentence. "My son was brutally murdered."
Travis Langley said he wanted a jury to decide the capital murder charge against Graham.
"Justice didn't prevail here today," Travis Langley said outside the courtroom.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Robert Taylor said the prosecutor on the case, Philip Weinberg, indicat
ed to him th
e plea agreement of 10 years was the best obtainable conclusion. Weinberg was out of town Friday.
"I would rather have some conviction than none," Taylor said.
Taylor said the death of a main witness to the slaying, Leonard McInnis, was a factor.
McInnis was shot five times in the attack but survived. He was killed in a 2000 traffic accident.
As p
art of the deal, Peterson's office is not prosecuting an aggravated assault charge against Graham involving McInnis.
"It's just awful," McInnis' mother, Lucy McInnis, said of the decision.
Graham's attorney, Public Defender Tom Fortner, said he doesn't believe his client would have been convicted because of conflicting statements from the other co-defendants.
Graham's co-defendants, Chris Buckhalter, a former University of Southern Mississippi standout tailback, and Graham's brother, Tyrone Graham, rece
ived 20 and 25 y
ears, respectively, after pleading guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault charges.
Jason Langley, who worked at George Street Grocery, was killed April 24, 1997, at the Advantage Apartments in Jackson.
Investigators said the apartment groundskeeper, Anthony Sanders, asked Jason Langley if he could use his telephone. It was a ruse to allow Sanders and the others to enter, forcing Jason Langley and McInnis to lie on the flo
or while they searched the apartment. They took $7,000 and asked for drugs, but Jason Langley told them there was none. The killers slit Jason Langley's throat.
In 1997, Sanders fatally shot himself while trying to elude a police roadblock.
<span style='color:red'>In March 2000, a jury returned a $29 million judgment against the owners of the apartment complex in a lawsuit by the families of Langley and McInnis. An undisclosed settlement was reached just before the verdict
was handed down.</sp
an>
**********
No justice no peace!
:guns: :guns: :guns: :guns: :guns: :guns: :suspect: :rip:
Wake up America and smell the negro!
T.N.B.
Sidney Antonio Graham
Victim's father, Travis Langley
Father of Murder Victim Unhappy with Plea Bargain
A 27-year-old Jackson man received a ten-year sentence in a murder case Friday morning.
Sidney Antonio Graham agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter in the death of Jason Parish Langley in 1997. Judge Tomi Green gave him ten years to serve and ten years suspended, under the plea bargain agreement in the case. The father of the victim, Travis Langley, to
ld the judge he did not agree with the way the case had been handled.
Jason Parish Langley, a 22-year-old waiter at the George Street Grocery Restaurant
, was brutally murdered at the Advantage Apartments in north Jackson April 24, 1997. His throat was cut. Sidney Antonio Graham got a ten-year sentence in the case before Judge Tomie Green, after he agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter. Graham will serve less than half the time of his co-defendants, Chris Burkhalter, a standout USM tailback, and his brother Tyrone, who got 20 and 25 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault.
The victim's father, Travis Langley, is very unhappy about the sentence in the case, saying Graham could be on the streets in two and a half years because he is given credit for time served since 1998. Langley was asked why he thought it ha
ppen
ed this way.
A bad justice system, a bad DA department, that's from Ed Peters to Judge Bobby DeLaughter to Faye Peterson on down, he said.
The District Attorney Faye Peterson was off and unavailab
le for comment, but WLBT did talk with Public Defender Tom Fortner, who said it was the best deal that could be worked out.
There were just some legal problems with the case, from both perspectives. I think it was better to work out a compromise, said Fortner.
Fortner believes it is possible his client, could have been cleared if the case had gone to trial. One of the witnesses in the case died before it went to trial.
**Dey Mo'**
Graham sentenced in killing
Sidney Antonio Graham could be out of prison in less than three years in the killing of a 22-year-old
man sev
en years ago, despite two prior felony convictions.
In a plea bargain agreement, Graham pleaded guilty Friday in Hinds County Circuit Court to manslaughter in the April 24, 1997, killing of Jason Parish "Puddin" Langley.
On a recommendation from Hinds County District Attorn
ey Faye Peterson, Circuit Judge Tomie T. Green sentenced Graham to 20 years but suspended 10 years. That leaves Graham 10 years to serve, with credit for time served from 1998.
"I disagree with the manslaughter plea," Travis Langley, the victim's father, told Green before she imposed the sentence. "My son was brutally murdered."
Travis Langley said he wanted a jury to decide the capital murder charge against Graham.
"Justice didn't prevail here today," Travis Langley said outside the courtroom.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Robert Taylor said the prosecutor on the case, Philip Weinberg, indicat
ed to him th
e plea agreement of 10 years was the best obtainable conclusion. Weinberg was out of town Friday.
"I would rather have some conviction than none," Taylor said.
Taylor said the death of a main witness to the slaying, Leonard McInnis, was a factor.
McInnis was shot five times in the attack but survived. He was killed in a 2000 traffic accident.
As p
art of the deal, Peterson's office is not prosecuting an aggravated assault charge against Graham involving McInnis.
"It's just awful," McInnis' mother, Lucy McInnis, said of the decision.
Graham's attorney, Public Defender Tom Fortner, said he doesn't believe his client would have been convicted because of conflicting statements from the other co-defendants.
Graham's co-defendants, Chris Buckhalter, a former University of Southern Mississippi standout tailback, and Graham's brother, Tyrone Graham, rece
ived 20 and 25 y
ears, respectively, after pleading guilty to manslaughter and aggravated assault charges.
Jason Langley, who worked at George Street Grocery, was killed April 24, 1997, at the Advantage Apartments in Jackson.
Investigators said the apartment groundskeeper, Anthony Sanders, asked Jason Langley if he could use his telephone. It was a ruse to allow Sanders and the others to enter, forcing Jason Langley and McInnis to lie on the flo
or while they searched the apartment. They took $7,000 and asked for drugs, but Jason Langley told them there was none. The killers slit Jason Langley's throat.
In 1997, Sanders fatally shot himself while trying to elude a police roadblock.
<span style='color:red'>In March 2000, a jury returned a $29 million judgment against the owners of the apartment complex in a lawsuit by the families of Langley and McInnis. An undisclosed settlement was reached just before the verdict
was handed down.</sp
an>
**********
No justice no peace!
:guns: :guns: :guns: :guns: :guns: :guns: :suspect: :rip:
Wake up America and smell the negro!
T.N.B.