Quadruple homicide co-defendant gets 40 years
By Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel
Updated: Aug. 18, 2011 3:26 p.m. |(20) Comments
A man who participated in last year's murders of two little boys, their mother and another woman but then helped prosecutors convict another man for the crimes was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in prison.
The sentence was five years more than prosecutors had recommended, but less than what the victims' families sought.
Circuit Judge Jeffrey Conen said "as distasteful as it may be" to the public, he did need to recognize the value of Anthony Barnes' testimony, because otherwise it would be hard for prosecutors to get such assistance in future trials.
"And that would leave a lot of other families without closure," Conen said.
Barnes went along with Desmond Laster and Britney Robinson when they killed Rachel Thompson and her two sons, then set their south side apartment on fire in February 2010.
Later the same day, Barnes fatally shot Robinson at Laster's direction, after Laster feared she would be caught by police.
Barnes, 24, testified against Laster at trial in March and admitted his own roles in the crimes. He then pleaded guilty to three counts of felony murder during armed robbery, for the deaths of Thompson and her children, and one count of first degree reckless homicide for killing Robinson.
In return for his pleas and testimony, prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison sentence of no more than 35 years to Circuit Judge Jeffrey Conen on Thursday.
A jury convicted Laster, 23, of four counts of first degree intentional homicide, arson and other crimes. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Conen, who presided at Laster's trial, again called it "if not the more, one of the most horrific cases" he's seen.
Assistant District Attorney Mark Williams, who has prosecuted more than 800 homicides, agreed and said recommending some consideration to Barnes for his testimony, so that Laster, "the epitomy of evil," would be convicted and never set free, was a fair bargain.
Rachel Thompson's uncle, Todd Moreno, told Conen that Thursday would have been her son Torian's seventh birthday. Other relatives wore t-shirts commemorating Thompson and her two sons.
Thompson's aunt, Tammy Martinez, told Barnes she hoped he spends every day in prison looking over his shoulder, fearing someone might kill him.
Me too! clo
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