A Black Louisiana man to spend rest of his life in prison for stealing hedge clippers

[Mudslinger99]

LTV Louisiana Supreme Court upholds Black man's life sentence for stealing hedge clippers more than 20 years ago

By Kay Jones and Leah Asmelash, CNN

Updated 6:15 PM EDT, Thu August 06, 2020

(CNN)A Black Louisiana man will spend the rest of his life in prison for stealing hedge clippers, after the Louisiana Supreme Court denied his request to have his sentence overturned last week.

Fair Wayne Bryant, 62, was convicted in 1997 on one count of attempted simple burglary. In his appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Louisiana in 2018, his attorney, Peggy Sullivan, wrote that Bryant "contends that his life sentence is unconstitutionally harsh and excessive."

Last week, though, the state Supreme Court disagreed -- with five justices choosing to uphold the life sentence.

The lone dissenter in the decision was Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Johnson, who wrote that "the sentence imposed is excessive and disproportionate to the offense the defendant committed."

Johnson is the only female and Black person on the court. The rest of the justices are White men.

The sentence is sanctioned under the habitual offender law, Johnson noted in her dissent, meaning that Bryant's previous criminal history supports the sentence.

Bryant was convicted in 1979 for attempted armed robbery, in 1987 for possession of stolen things, attempted forgery of a check worth $150 in 1989 and for simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling in 1992, all before his 1997 arrest for the failed attempt at stealing the hedge clippers.

But Johnson also mentioned the cost associated with Bryant's sentence, writing that in his 23 years in prison, he has cost Louisiana taxpayers over $500,000.

"If he lives another 20 years, Louisiana taxpayers will have paid almost one million dollars to punish Mr. Bryant for his failed effort to steal a set of hedge clippers," she wrote.

Bryant's sentence is a "modern manifestation" of "pig laws," which were created in the years after Reconstruction, Johnson also said. The laws "criminalized recently emancipated African American citizens by introducing extreme sentences for petty theft associated with poverty," she wrote.

"This man's life sentence for a failed attempt to steal a set of 3 hedge clippers is grossly out of proportion to the crime and serves no legitimate penal purpose," Johnson wrote.

While Johnson said she would grant the appeal, five justices denied it and one abstained.

Sullivan, Bryant's appellate attorney, told CNN she agrees with Johnson's dissent

Discuss.

 

[Motorcharge]

I'm so tired of hearing about that idiot. He's not serving life for stealing hedge clippers. He's serving life for being a career criminal.

 

[total newb]

So people want to free a man with violent crimes in his 18 year history of theft?

 

[Provience]

i'm curious how "hedge clippers" are a theft associated with poverty

he didn't steal apples, or a box of diapers for his kid.

mandatory mins and such, in general, suck due to the high cost associated, I don't think the folks with 100+ convictions are doing big things in life, but 5 thefts over 20 years doesn't seem like lifetime conviction type stuff.

it also certainly isn't "because he's black". i'd rather see congress take up mand. mins. as the courts are well proven to not do shit about them

 

[Scott Cee aka 2drx4]

For the handful of crimes he was convicted for, he committed many more that he got away with.

 

[TrikeKid]

His sentence isn't for the hedge clippers, it's for decades of being a piece of shit.

 

[Mudslinger99]

For the handful of crimes he was convicted for, he committed many more that he got away with.

How else you gain experience ?

I agree, but what caught my attention is how much money has been spent on this fella and his crimes don't seem to add up to that number.

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[Provience]

How else you gain experience ?

I agree, but what caught my attention is how much money has been spent on this fella and his crimes don't seem to add up to that number.

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25k/year to house somebody? honestly, that is surprisingly cheap

 

[Mudslinger99]

25k/year to house somebody? honestly, that is surprisingly cheap

You looking to Adopt ? I keep what's left over after expenses

 

[TRINDU]

25k/year to house somebody? honestly, that is surprisingly cheap

No shit. He wouldve cost the tax payers more in EBT, section 8 housing, and a litter of younger criminals.

 

[Thumping]

How else you gain experience ?

I agree, but what caught my attention is how much money has been spent on this fella and his crimes don't seem to add up to that number.

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I doubt it actually cost that much for him and him alone. I could be wrong but I don't think I am even with all expenses accounted for.

If it is in fact true....then many things need cut.

 

[Void_of_Light]

I say bring back the stocks for minor crimes. Set them up in front of Walmart so everyone can see them. Walmart can sell expired produce for people to throw at them. It's a win win in my book.

 

[gunracer1]

if they would have executed him 2 or 3 crimes ago think about the money the state could have saved.

 

[woods]

Having just received my Internet law degree, I'm going to say there's more to the story than the OP's headline.

 

[Thumping]

Hold on...I'll pluck a nose hair and work up a tear for him.

 

[Poopyface]

I say bring back the stocks for minor crimes. Set them up in front of Walmart so everyone can see them. Walmart can sell expired produce for people to throw at them. It's a win win in my book.

Not being racist or anything but they throw out a lot of watermelons.

 

[Rerock]

Guy's a career POS, let him rot.

The click-bait headline is what pisses me off. Had it said "career criminals appeal to go free denied by Supreme court", no one would read it or care.