John White gets 2 to 4 years

John White is the black guy from Miller Place, Long Island, who shot and killed the teenager (Cicciaro) who came to White’s house one night regarding a dispute with White’s son.

Interesting headline from Newsday: Family outraged over sentence in Miller Place slaying

John White was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison Wednesday for killing Daniel Cicciaro Jr., in the latest chapter in a racially driven court drama that pitted two Long Island families against each other and drew national attention.

Moments after the court session was dismissed, family and friends of the victim stormed out of the courtroom cursing, crying and criticizing the verdict. Cicciaro’s father, Daniel Cicciaro Sr., issued what a defense attorney called an implied threat against White’s son.

“Well, let’s see what happens when Aaron White gets shot, and see how the laws are. Let’s see what happens now.”

I thought White should walk. But my wife’s cousin, a very well-educated Long Island cop, set me straight. Cicciaro and his buddies may very have been young hoodlums who intruded on White’s property. Nonetheless, White had an obligation not to “escalate” the situation. If White has stayed inside his house, locked the door, and called 911, that would been the right thing to do. Then, if Cicciaro had busted into the house, White would have been justified in using lethal force. So, White was wrong, from a legal perspective. It’s an open question as to how the jury would have found if the races had been reversed. Personally, I find it hard to imagine that a Miller Place jury, sitting in judgment of a white man who had shot a black “youth” in similar circumstances, would have convicted him of anything.

All things considered, facing a maximum of 5 to 15, I think the judge imposed a reasonable sentence.

Obviously, this has ruined the White’s lives too; they will have to move out of Miller Place. As for the Cicciaros, and their continuing implied threats against White, .. they strain my sympathy for a grieving family.

It’s worthwhile to think about this case, from the perspective that Obama mentioned yesterday.

Trackbacks & Pings

  1. Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator on 20 Mar 2008 at 11:25 am

    Sentence angers shooting victim’s family…

    The family of a black man who fatally shot a white teenager during a racially charged confrontation…

Comments

  1. David C. wrote:

    Personally, I find it hard to imagine that a Miller Place jury, sitting in judgment of a white man who had shot a black “youth” in similar circumstances, would have convicted him of anything.

    I think you are totally wrong here. It is highly likely that a white person would have been convicted in a similar situation. You can’t go out in your yard, argue with people and then shoot someone, unless they actually attack you. In my understanding of the law, you can only use deadly force if your own life (or that of your family) is in danger.

    Then, if Cicciaro had busted into the house, White would have been justified in using lethal force.

    Exactly. If that had been the case and White was convicted, then there would have been a miscarriage of justice. In my opinion this is a a case of crying racism when there is no real evidence of it, especially when the man got a 2-4 year sentence for killing someone.

    Posted 19 Mar 2008 at 5:10 pm

  2. observer wrote:

    Captain Planet wrote:
    Ya’ll needa grow the FCKU up! Black people have the same rights as us whites do, jackasses. Fair trial. All I know is that that little italian **** shouldnt have been at the kids house that night and he’d still be alive. And his dad should be investigated for steroids cuz he was roid-raging in the court room yesterday.”Lets See What Happens When Aaron White Gets Shot!” FU Maaan… Go jump off a bridge cuz its people like that racist **** who make his family and other ones like them look like a bunch of cavemen. I’d like to know where the Cicciaro lived so I can put a loaded firearm to his lips and make it that easier for him to see his ‘beloved angel’ son!
    AND Mr. White didn’t commit a murder. Self Defense, Actively! Because had the father not intervened, we’d be looking at the murder of Aaron White, as opposed to his bully. And what would be the result? The **** would go free because that is the world we live in.

    My reply below

    Cicciaro didn’t threaten Aaron White and if he did, it was Harrassment 2nd at the best a violation. You on the other hand have committed aggravated harrassment 2nd a misdememeanor by offering to put a gun to the lips of Mr. Cicciaro.

    White didn’t “prevent the murder of his son”. Aaron White was home, in bed INSIDE his own home. Nothing about going outside with an illegal handgun nonetheless prevented anyone from “murdering Aaron”. Had anyone entered the White family home armed with a bat or any other weapon Mr. White would have been justified in using deadly physical force to defend himself and his family and could have done so with his legally possessed shotgun, not his illegally possessed handgun.

    If Mr. White were such an upstanding citizen he would be able to get a pistol permit and would have LEGALLY possessed the pistol he used that night. Then again if he had possessed that pistol legally, he would have been subjected to a background check and would have received a list of laws explaining under what circumstances he was authorized under the law to use deadly physical force. Had he legally possessed that pistol he would have known that he had no legal or moral right to do what he did. Shooting someone who breaks into your home is self defense and is admirable. Exiting your home armed with an illegal handgun without calling 911 is pre-meditated murder. Let us not forget that Aaron white was also armed with a shotgun and was committing criminal use of a firearm when he menaced the kids who “called his cell phone”.

    I have no doubt if the races in this drama were reversed the defendant would have received far more than 2-4 and most likely if a caucasian defendant had received 2-4 Al Sharpton would have been leading the ensuing race riot.

    This is Barbara Kahn’s way of balancing out the stiff but appropriate sentence she meted out to a black defendant last year for a horrific robbery, rape, sodomy and beating of a caucasian couple.

    This sentence smacks of pandering to the black community and rewards the race baiting bigots such as Al Sharpton, The Nation of Islam, 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care and last but not least the Johnny Cochrane of Long Island Fred Brewington.

    Posted 20 Mar 2008 at 12:18 pm

  3. Dan Kauffman wrote:

    Personally, I find it hard to imagine that a Miller Place jury, sitting in judgment of a white man who had shot a black “youth” in similar circumstances, would have convicted him of anything.

    I think you are totally wrong here. It is highly likely that a white person would have been convicted in a similar situation.

    And there would have been massive demonstrations shriekingi in the streets

    No Justice No Peace

    with the Good Rev Al whipping up the mobs until maybe they ran down and beat some poor totally innocent person to death like they did one time in the past.

    Posted 21 Mar 2008 at 10:58 pm

  4. The Sanity Inspector wrote:

    I have no knowledge of the particulars of this case, other than what’s been filtered through the news & commentariat. I don’t know what the firearm possession laws are in that area. Nor do I have any idea what penalty similar cases–for surely there have been similar cases–have drawn. I don’t think anyone can know what would have happened had the races been reversed.

    Yet here I am commenting on it anyway. I want you to know I feel strongly about it! :)

    Posted 24 Mar 2008 at 10:35 am

  5. Alon Levy wrote:

    Well, I don’t know about this particular case, but it’s in general true that black people get longer sentences than whites who committed the same crime, especially if the victim is white.

    Posted 24 Mar 2008 at 1:20 pm

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