‘Xbox Killer’ Gets Life
Games don’t kill people, consoles do. Robert Cannon, one of four Florida men convicted of killing six people with baseball bats over an Xbox, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges today. Why did he do it? He was just following his friend Troy Victorino, who broke into the house of a girl who stole his Xbox system – and started killing people.
Check out the full AP story after the jump
Man gets life in prison for fatal fight over XBox system
By TRAVIS REED
Associated Press Writer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – A judge sentenced a 20-year-old man to life in prison without the possibility of parole Monday, denying his request to withdraw a guilty plea in the slayings of six people over an Xbox video game system.
Robert Anthony Cannon said in court that his attorney told him he had no chance in trial, and would get the death penalty if he didn’t plead guilty and testify against three others in the baseball bat attacks. He said he maintained his innocence to his attorneys the entire time, and repeatedly tried to persuade them to pull the plea.
”(Defense attorney Rob Sanders) was threatening the death penalty. He shook the papers in my face and he said this is your last chance. And I gave in some,’’ Cannon said Monday, represented by new counsel.
He surprised the court last month as the trial opened by stating his innocence and refusing to answer prosecutors’ questions. Cannon plead guilty nearly a year ago to all 14 charges after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty.
Sanders denied threatening Cannon, but said he advised him he likely wouldn’t get a better deal by taking the case to trial. He said he never assured Cannon he’d face certain death by going forward.
Sanders said Cannon expressed hesitance at points before accepting the agreement, and again after pleading, but proceeded after further consultation. Later, he said he and another attorney explained the necessary grounds to revoke it.
“We basically said, ‘If you want us to withdraw your plea, you write it down and you give it to us and we’ll do it,’’ Sanders said.
Cannon never did, Sanders testified.
Chief Circuit Judge Bill Parsons determined Cannon had plenty of chances to change his plea before trial, noting he testified at length under oath that he drove the three other men to the house in August 2004 and walked in with a bat. He and prosecutors said Cannon was trying to cheat the system by pulling out as the trial opened to get a better deal.
“It just looks like he is a giant manipulator as far as I can tell,’’ Parsons said.
Even without Cannon’s live testimony, a jury in July convicted Troy Victorino, 29, Jerone Hunter, 20, and Michael Salas, 20, of first-degree murder in the deaths.
Prosecutors said Victorino was angry with victim Erin Belanger, 22, formerly of Lowell, Mass., who had him evicted when she found him living in her grandmother’s home in Deltona. She kept some of his belongings, including some clothing and the video game system.
A jury recommended death for Victorino and Hunter, though Parsons will have the final say. He previously sentenced Salas to life in prison without the possibility of parole, which the jury recommended.
Also on Monday, defense attorneys for Hunter argued at a pre-sentencing hearing that Parsons should spare his life because Victorino threatened him and the 20-year-old suffers from borderline schizophrenia.
Hunter’s mother, aunt, uncle and friend testified he was a good but troubled boy who had an abusive father, and lost his way after his older brother died. Hunter began ``talking’’ to himself as a way of communicating with his brother, his aunt Jamie Brown testified.
“He’s never been violent in his life,’’ friend Tyrece Brown said in court.
Hunter also took the stand and asked for forgiveness, pausing for long periods as he struggled to speak.
“I’m sorry to everybody that this whole situation has affected. I know it has affected a lot of people,’’ he said. ``I’m sorry for everything that happened. I wasn’t thinking in the right way. I’m sorry.’’
Parsons sentenced Hunter Monday on the non-capital charges to life in prison without parole. But the real question of his fate will be decided at a Sept. 21 sentencing hearing, when the judge will determine whether Hunter should be put to death.
A pre-sentencing hearing for Victorino is scheduled Friday.
Alexander
Posted to Video Games on 29 August 2006
· Comments (2)
Other stuff like this: florida, psycho, xbox killer
It wasn’t the Xbox specifically that triggered all that tho. A lot of stuff was stolen, including an Xbox. The media just latched onto the video game connection immediately.
But that’s why we love the mainstream media (big hugs)