Tuesday, November 22, 2011

DESPITE TAMPA JAZZ SINGER'S FAMILY PLEAS FOR MERCY JUDGE GIVES THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 15 YEARS IN DUI MANSLAUGHTER CASE

The victim's family forgives if not forgets. Despite their pleas for mercy - even for no jail time for the Defendant in a DUI Manslaughter case - a local Jazz Singer's family members found that only the Judge has the power to sentence a convicted man.
The Jazz Singer, a preacher's daughter, was known for her beautiful voice, her kind forgiving heart and a keen sense of jazz tempo while performing in Tampa Bay, Clearwater and Pinellas County, Florida.


"You're very forgiving," the Judge said softly to the religious family, then voice hardening the Judge looked toward  the Defendant saying, "But the court has decisions to make....You're going to take responsibility." 
The Judge sentenced the Defendant to the maximum amount of time, 15 years in prison for the conviction. The Defendant had a prior record, anger issues, a drug habit and on the night of the incident mixed prescription pain killers, Xanax, Vicodin with vodka before causing a terrible crash sending the Jazz Singer's car airborne according to an article in the St. Petersburg Times. 
Billie Holiday, a great American jazz singer, songwriter and actress. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. She died in 1959.