Shoplifter Gets Life Sentence

[archer51]

While I agree with the sentence, I have a feeling it will be overturned on appeal. His actions may not have been the direct cause of death, I'm sure they sped up the process.



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FORT WORTH -- A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison in a shoplifting case that ended in the death of a Walmart employee.

Although William Alan Kennedy was never charged with causing the death of Bruce Florence, a Tarrant County jury found the Fort Worth man guilty of aggravated robbery for knocking Florence, 56, down while trying to run out of the Westworth Village Walmart with a stolen TV worth $348 on June 11, 2010.

Florence, who hit his head on the floor, was hospitalized and died June 20.

The Tarrant County medical examiner's office, however, ruled that end-stage liver cirrhosis -- not the head injury -- caused Florence's death.

"After conscientious deliberations, the jury agreed that Kennedy's actions were a serious threat to Bruce Florence," Nelda Cacciotti, who prosecuted the case with Mark Thielman, said in a news release issued by the Tarrant County district attorney's office Thursday. "We hope that all shoplifters get the message that store thefts may have long-term consequences for the victim and the defendant."

The jury deliberated almost three hours before finding Kennedy guilty of aggravated robbery. State District Judge Mike Thomas then sentenced Kennedy to life in prison.

Kennedy has appealed the case. His attorney, Ronald Couch, could not be reached for comment.

Cathey Florence, Florence's widow, said Kennedy took the witness stand during the trial and apologized when his attorney asked whether he wanted to say anything to the widow.

"He just said he was sorry. He didn't mean to knock Bruce down. He wasn't trying to hurt Bruce or anything," Cathey Florence said. "He apologized, but I didn't think it was a sincere apology."

Still, she said, she was surprised by the sentence.

"My heart went out to his mom and dad," Cathey Florence said. "My heart went out to them because we never want to see our kids fail in life. We always want the best for them, but I know their hearts were very heavy yesterday."

Cathey Florence said the trial's conclusion seemed to bring an end to her sleepless nights.

"Last night, when everything was over, I was able to sleep for once in my life," she said. "I slept pretty good last night."

Besides aggravated robbery, court records show that Kennedy was also convicted Wednesday on five state-jail-felony charges of theft of property in similar shoplifting cases in Fort Worth, four of which involved Walmarts.

Deanna Boyd, 817-390-7655



Read more: Fort Worth man sentenced to life in Walmart shoplifting case | Crime and Safety | News f...

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[mcp1810]

Habitual felon. I wouldn't hold my breath if I was him.

[gunthorp]

Looks like he felon hard times.

[mlr1m]

The title is misleading. He got life for killing a person while committing a crime.

Michael

[357and40]

No sympathy for the murderer.

[msb45]

Every state should have a felony murder statute. If anyone dies during the commission of a crime it's murder. PERIOD. Including a victim shooting a criminal.

[retsupt99]

He made his bed...

[Bark'n]

I am rather surprised he got a life sentence when he wasn't charged in the death of the employee.

Personally, I don't have a problem with the sentence, I was just surprised he got that much when he was not tied to the death in any way.

I also think he should have been charged as a contributing factor in the employee's death. Missouri has felony murder and it's a good statute. They use it frequently.

[Hiram25]

The BG was set in his ways, we're better off without him! Feel sorry for the individual who died, but from the sounds of it, he was well on his way anyway.

[ctr]

Perhaps a manslaughter charge would have been appropriate. While the liver may be what took the victim out end the end, and it certainly was a fatal condition, it was no doubt hastened by the actions of the perp.

[SIXTO]

Thats not shoplifting, thats agg robbery... and someone died as a direct result of the criminal act- see ya on the flip side.

[CaptSmith]

I'd let the mutt out if he promised to move to California or someplace really worthy like Boston...and never come-back...and pay the lucky broke axx state to "not" supervise him.... with a lifetime tail...but Texas has got good corporate prisons...gonna build more ...HA!

[Geezer]

The jury deliberated almost three hours. That's an excessive amount of time in my part of the woods. Hope he enjoys his time, and someone else enjoys it also.

[357and40]

Every state should have a felony murder statute. If anyone dies during the commission of a crime it's murder. PERIOD. Including a victim shooting a criminal.

I take exception to the victim of a crime being prosecuted for murder if it is a clean shoot....

[QKShooter]

On the 11th of June a guy is obviously OK & healthy enough to be out shopping in WalMart & he gets knocked down & receives a severe head injury - he remains hospitalized & on June the 20th he is dead in the hospital...of liver cirrhosis?

Was he drinking alcoholic beverages heavily in his hospital bed?

Sounds fishy to me.