Shoplifting Charge Nets Life Sentence

Habitual criminal off the streets permanently

Dennis Turner

June 23, 2010

Southaven, MS - FAST FACTS

• Mississippi law requires life sentence after 3 felony convictions
• 4 sent away in DeSoto so far in 2010
• "Dozens" more awaiting same fate

Southaven, MS

6/23/2010

Life in prison for a shoplifting charge might sound a little extreme, but that's the sentence a Memphis man got after getting caught in the web of Mississippi's justice system.

His long record got him classified as a "habitual offender" and a judge sentenced him to three consecutive life terms.

Darnell Wilson made one trip to Mississippi and became a life-long resident. Not because he liked the area so much, it's because he committed three felonies, got caught, and faced a much less tolerant justice system that's putting him behind bars for good.

Darnell Wilson chose the wrong place to commit a crime. He'll soon be on a prison bus headed for a lifetime behind bars, on a shoplifting charge.
 
It's something that some find rather shocking. "I think that they should have to do quite a bit of time but I don't know about life sentence." said Jessica Riley of Olive Branch.

Law officers say Mississippi is far less tolerant than some places when it comes to repeat offenders.

Down here, it's three strikes and you're out. For good "No matter the cause if you have the three felonies prior, if you come here and you commit another felony, you're going to get life in prison in this state." said Southaven Police Chief Tom Long.

That's just the case with Darnell Wilson.

The road to Wilson's life sentence begins at the Kohl's store in Southaven. Employees reportedly spotted him shoplifting and called police.

Store surveillance cameras caught him in the act.

Police narrowly escaped injury as he got away, speeding down crowded Goodman and Airways roads during rush hour, before officers finally stopped him.

Police found stolen items in his car, charged him with three felonies and then learned about his long record in Tennessee.

"In this particular case, Darnell Wilson, between 1985 and 2009 had eighteen arrests, ten convictions, four felonies and six prior felonies that were reduced to misdemeanors to make up his ten convictions. Somebody, he should have learned by then." said Assistant District Attorney Smith Murphy.

So police and prosecutors made an example out of him, hoping to send a message to other criminals, and the public.

"So before they come to Mississippi, they think about it and that keeps crime away." "Does that make you feel safer?" "Makes me feel a lot safer." said Riley.

"The message is very simple. You know, if you're gonna commit a felony you better keep you stupid self in a state that lets you get away with 'em." added Long.

Wilson's not the first in DeSoto to face this fate. Four others went before him just this year, and Murphy tells me he's got dozens waiting in line to go before a judge, and maybe off to prison, for life.   


 

LINK TO VIDEO 

http://www.wreg.com/videobeta/049d1c21-e568-4bce-9924-ee51246ac6d1/News/Shoplifting-Life-Sentence