Why Is a Florida Man Facing Life in Prison For Lending a Friend His Car and Going to Sleep?

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13. UPDATE

Last edited Mon Oct 23, 2023, 01:37 PM - Edit history (6)

Posted by Rocktivity, 2014:
"At some point, the prosecutor believed either that (Ryan) Holle wasn’t as guilty as the others; could be turned into a snitch; or that felony murder would be overcharging -- hence the 10-year plea deal offer...

"The defense might have generated sympathy from the jury if they had countered the prosecution’s 'No car, no robbery, no death' strategy with 'No underage drinking, no DECISION to supply the car, no robbery.' Instead, the defense gambled on a complete acquittal and lost, the prosecution gambled on an excessive charge and won -- and between them, Holle looks into snake eyes for rest of his life.

"...(He)...should not have been charged with felony murder -- he was an accessory at best; a co-conspirator at worst. Reduce the charge, reactivate the plea deal, and deduct the time already served."

True Crime Daily, June 2017: In the end, Ryan did not get freedom -- but he did get a compromise.

"I move to commute Ryan Holle's life sentence to 25 years' imprisonment, followed by 10 years' probation," said Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

"It's a blessing in the sense that I know I'm not going to have to spend the rest of my life in prison, but it still hurts that I'm going to have to do another seven years, and I will have spent 21 years and three months of my life incarcerated."

Unless he's granted a new hearing, Ryan Holle's family won't be welcoming him home until 2024.

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