Be extra careful about whom you let borrow your car. Ryan Holle, now a 25-year-old, is serving time as an accomplice to burglary, assault and murder. His exact action in this? After getting inebriated at a house-party, he lent his car to his housemate and his friends, who planned to steal a safe from a known marijuana dealer's. One of the miscreants beats the dealer's 18-year-old daughter to death with a shotgun from the home. At the time of the murder, Ryan was 20 and back at his house.
Based on an old Florida law doctrine, he is serving a life sentence. This is all because his car is considered the catalyst for the execution of the crime. The prosecutor's theory? Without Ryan's car, the robbers would not have gone to the dealer's home and the drug dealer's daughter would still be alive. Basically, he is just as guilty as those who were actually present. Did he help plan any of it? Doesn't appear so. Was he there? Nope. A couple of details that I've gotta mention. First, living together, he'd lent his roommate his car numerous times prior. Second, he had heard them talk about robbing the dealer, but says that he didn't take them seriously.
This makes you think before you hand over your keys to your friends. At least, if you're in any state that still has that law doctrine on the books.
The NYTimes has the full details on the case.
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1 comment:
That law sounds completely Draconian! I guess if I have to consider a life sentence when I wasn't even present @ the crime scene, I'd be a hell of a lot more selective about my friends.
I'm enjoying your sight. It's really interesting and intelligent.
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