KANSAS CITY, MO -
A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for causing the death of a young boy, but the child's relatives say that the sentence doesn't even begin to fit the crime, leading to fireworks outside the courtroom on Wednesday.
Shawrice Winton was convicted of manslaughter in the February, 2008, beating death of 2-year-old Keyaun James in a south Kansas City home. Winton was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter as part of a deal with prosecutors.
But Keyaun's relatives say that the 15 year sentence is not what they wanted.
"The death penalty," said Tanna Barnett. "He admitted to everything, kicking him, hitting him, beating him and everything. He admitted to everything. Punching him. That's a little baby. At the time the baby was sick. Little Keyaun was sick."
Prosecutors say that 15 years is the maximum penalty for the manslaughter conviction, but the victim's family says that Winton could be eligible for parole after only five years, and because Winton has already spent nearly two years behind bars, they fear that he could be back on the streets in as few as three years.
"We've got to go to the cemetery to celebrate his birthday and Christmas," said Persa Brownlee, Keyaun's grandmother. "Where is the justice? If they sell crack cocaine, they get 25 years to life. He done killed a little 2-year-old innocent baby and he could walk in five years. Where is the justice in that?"
Keyaun's relatives and Winton's family confronted each other outside the courthouse, where the child's family says that threats were made against Keyaun's surviving 3-year-old sister.
"They should worry about their safety, really," said Teresa Mayhew, Keyaun's grandmother. "My grandchild is fine."
Shawrice Winton was convicted of manslaughter in the February, 2008, beating death of 2-year-old Keyaun James in a south Kansas City home. Winton was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter as part of a deal with prosecutors.
But Keyaun's relatives say that the 15 year sentence is not what they wanted.
"The death penalty," said Tanna Barnett. "He admitted to everything, kicking him, hitting him, beating him and everything. He admitted to everything. Punching him. That's a little baby. At the time the baby was sick. Little Keyaun was sick."
Prosecutors say that 15 years is the maximum penalty for the manslaughter conviction, but the victim's family says that Winton could be eligible for parole after only five years, and because Winton has already spent nearly two years behind bars, they fear that he could be back on the streets in as few as three years.
"We've got to go to the cemetery to celebrate his birthday and Christmas," said Persa Brownlee, Keyaun's grandmother. "Where is the justice? If they sell crack cocaine, they get 25 years to life. He done killed a little 2-year-old innocent baby and he could walk in five years. Where is the justice in that?"
Keyaun's relatives and Winton's family confronted each other outside the courthouse, where the child's family says that threats were made against Keyaun's surviving 3-year-old sister.
"They should worry about their safety, really," said Teresa Mayhew, Keyaun's grandmother. "My grandchild is fine."
