Vegan Couple Get Life Over Baby's Death
PissBottleMan
Union City, TN Posts: 4,155
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18574603/
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ATLANTA - A vegan couple were sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the death of their malnourished 6-week-old baby boy, who was fed a diet largely consisting of soy milk and apple juice.
Superior Court Judge L.A. McConnell imposed the mandatory sentences on Jade Sanders, 27, and Lamont Thomas, 31. Their son, Crown Shakur, weighed just 3 1/2 pounds when he died of starvation on April 25, 2004.
The couple were found guilty May 2 of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. A jury deliberated about seven hours before returning the guilty verdicts.
Defense lawyers said the first-time parents did the best they could while adhering to the lifestyle of vegans, who typically use no animal products. They said Sanders and Thomas did not realize the baby, who was born at home, was in danger until minutes before he died.
But prosecutors said the couple intentionally neglected their child and refused to take him to the doctor even as the baby’s body wasted away.
“No matter how many times they want to say, ‘We’re vegans, we’re vegetarians,’ that’s not the issue in this case,” said prosecutor Chuck Boring. “The child died because he was not fed. Period.”
Although the life sentences were automatic, Sanders and Thomas begged for leniency before sentencing. Sanders urged the judge to look past his “perception” of the couple.
“I loved my son — and I did not starve him,” she said.
When the judge told the defendants they could ask for a new trial, Thomas hung his head low.
“I’m dying every day in there,” he said, “and that could take three years.”
PBM
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ATLANTA - A vegan couple were sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for the death of their malnourished 6-week-old baby boy, who was fed a diet largely consisting of soy milk and apple juice.
Superior Court Judge L.A. McConnell imposed the mandatory sentences on Jade Sanders, 27, and Lamont Thomas, 31. Their son, Crown Shakur, weighed just 3 1/2 pounds when he died of starvation on April 25, 2004.
The couple were found guilty May 2 of malice murder, felony murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. A jury deliberated about seven hours before returning the guilty verdicts.
Defense lawyers said the first-time parents did the best they could while adhering to the lifestyle of vegans, who typically use no animal products. They said Sanders and Thomas did not realize the baby, who was born at home, was in danger until minutes before he died.
But prosecutors said the couple intentionally neglected their child and refused to take him to the doctor even as the baby’s body wasted away.
“No matter how many times they want to say, ‘We’re vegans, we’re vegetarians,’ that’s not the issue in this case,” said prosecutor Chuck Boring. “The child died because he was not fed. Period.”
Although the life sentences were automatic, Sanders and Thomas begged for leniency before sentencing. Sanders urged the judge to look past his “perception” of the couple.
“I loved my son — and I did not starve him,” she said.
When the judge told the defendants they could ask for a new trial, Thomas hung his head low.
“I’m dying every day in there,” he said, “and that could take three years.”
PBM
"We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"
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I think the sentence may be a bit harsh but the child died from starvation.
Seriously!! It makes no sense!
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
nope...it's encouraged.
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/people/lifestyle/families/parenting/vegan_children/breastfeeding.php
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Then what on earth was wrong with these people?! :mad:
They got what they deserved.
Most likely, the judge handed down this sentence to discourage other people from this same "diet plan".
Unfortunately, the judge didn't realise that parents everywhere won't change their decisions based on this sentence. Hardheaded parents who mistreat their children will certainly continue to do whatever they were doing before.
Life though? That's harsh. I don't think it was their intent to kill their child...manslaughter at the very least.
PBM
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http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art20634.asp
exactly, you'd think that when something as important as a baby comes along you'd do a little research and talk to... i don't know...other vegans who have had babies????...I mean, I just googled that and found it in 1 minute. Idiots.
“No matter how many times they want to say, ‘We’re vegans, we’re vegetarians,’ that’s not the issue in this case,” said prosecutor Chuck Boring. “The child died because he was not fed. Period.”
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
Hopefully they won't reproduce in prison.
“No matter how many times they want to say, ‘We’re vegans, we’re vegetarians,’ that’s not the issue in this case,” said prosecutor Chuck Boring. “The child died because he was not fed. Period.”
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
i believe the sentence is mandatory for the offense, at least the article presents it that way. So the judges hands were tied.
the parents are idiots.
http://www.wishlistfoundation.org
Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
:rolleyes:....the parents are the idiots.
lmao.
Happy Birthday, by the way
I'm not a huge fan of mandatory sentences (especially life ones), but I do think the charges were appropriate. Manslaughter implies carelessness or accidental or whatever... what they did was murder. It might not have been their intent to murder their child, but that is what their actions led to and they didn't do anything to stop it.
Don't you have to take babbies (a shoutout to psycosinlove
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
please see post 3. and then the article...their malnourished 6-week-old baby boy, who was fed a diet largely consisting of soy milk and apple juice....
I dunno why we're nitpicking this anyway. Yes, the parents are idiots.
Thanks crazy mary
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Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
b/c we can
yeah. prison food is worse than hospital food.
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When are you getting out?
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
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tonite.......
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3 1/2lbs is TINY but if his birth weight was 5 lbs, the parents probably didn't noticed the decrease in weight.
Maybe the parents really didn't know that anything was wrong and now they are going to rot in prison forever.
a very sad situation, all around...
true, maybe they didn't know anything was wrong, and even more reason for them to rot in jail where they can never have children.
If I have a swimming pool and one of my kids drowns while I'm flipping a load of laundry, should my other kids be taken away and should I go to prison for life?
A stupid mistake is a stupid mistake. Why is one a tragic accident and this one is murder?
If you can't see the difference in those two scenarios I don't know what to tell you. Sorry.