[MUSIC PLAYING]
NARRATOR: We go to a hearing inside the Genesee County
Courthouse in Flint, Michigan.
Four teenagers have pled guilty to manslaughter in the death
of 32-year-old Kenneth White.
A fifth defendant, 19-year-old Kyle Anger,
has already pled guilty as an adult to second degree murder.
The teens threw a six-pound rock off a highway overpass,
puncturing the windshield of a passing car,
striking White in the head.
The driver, Stephen Anthor, seeing
his friend injured immediately called 9-1-1 for help.
NARRATOR: White, a father of four, engaged to be married,
died shortly afterwards at the hospital.
The four defendants all agreed to plead
guilty to manslaughter, with one stipulation--
that they be tried as juveniles, not adults.
Judge Joseph Farah is tasked with accepting
or rejecting that stipulation.
As Judge Farah weighs his decision,
several factors work against the teens,
including the fact that, for these boys,
dropping objects from overpasses was
apparently a regular pastime.
There wasn't one event, nor was
it done at a single location.
The rocks and other items were gathered from other locations,
loaded in a truck, and then driven to overpasses
to throw them over.
Also thrown at other times in other locations--
tire irons, a muffler, a shopping cart--
a shopping cart--
a couch.
What was the purpose in this game called over passing?
And when did it stop?
When somebody was killed.
NARRATOR: Additionally, the teens
made light of the horrific crime through dozens
of heartless Snapchat messages.
51 times, the letters L-O-L, L-M-A-O, or "ha ha"
appear in the messages, and many after it was learned
that they had killed somebody.
"Lay low for a while and everything will be fine.
Only way of getting trouble is if a [BLEEP]"--"-- and I won't say
the word-- spelled [BLEEP]--
"rats.
So you better hope he didn't give in already,
or else we're going to the slammer."
NARRATOR: As Kenneth White's grieving
mother watches from the gallery, Judge Farah
announces his decision.
The proposal for juvenile sentencing is rejected.
NARRATOR: Once that decision is issued,
the four defendants withdraw their guilty plea
and choose to go to trial.
While awaiting trial, three of the teens
remain in custody without bond while a fourth, Alexander
Miller, is out on $25,000 bond.
As for the fifth defendant, Kyle Anger,
who's already pled guilty to second degree murder,
he begins serving his sentence of 39 months
to 20 years in a Michigan State prison.
They were all in it together.
All of them, equal fault.
NARRATOR: Next, we head to the S. James Foxman Justice Center
in Daytona Beach, Florida.
NARRATOR: The woman being sworn in
is 18-year-old Ky'Andrea Cook.
Cook's in court today to receive a sentence
for using a dating app to set up a robbery that ended
with another teen being shot.
The teen survived.
Cook has accepted a plea deal that
will drop a conspiracy charge, which carried a maximum penalty
of life in prison.
But counts of carjacking, attempted
carjacking with a deadly weapon, and felony battery
are still in play.
NARRATOR: Cook now prepares to hear her sentence
as her loved ones look on.
Ms. Cook, you're before the court for sentencing.
A couple of things are going in your favor.
One, you didn't hold the firearm during these episodes.
The second is that the victim luckily survived.
That being said, this was intentional.
It was an orchestrated ambush, and you
are a main part of that.
And for that, I'm going to go ahead and adjudicate you
guilty of all three charges, sentence
you to 20 years in state prison.
WOMAN: [CRYING]
JUDGE: Concurrent as to the first--
NARRATOR: The crying you hear is coming
from Cook's mother, the sentence much
more severe than they expected.
COOK'S MOTHER: [CRYING]
[SOBBING]
NARRATOR: It turns out that Cook and her mother's reactions
were so intense because they believed the plea
deal meant no prison time.
Judge Foxman allows her to enter a new plea deal,
citing miscommunication between Cook and
the assistant public defender.
As a result of that new deal?
NARRATOR: Cook's sentence is reduced to 11 years in prison.
We're now in Washtenaw County trial
court in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Your honor, my client and I have reviewed the pre-sentence
report in this matter.
We don't find any factual errors.
NARRATOR: This is 17-year-old Danta Wright.
Wright's in court today to receive
his sentence for the shooting death of high school
student Jordan Klee.
He's pled guilty to armed robbery, conspiracy
to commit armed robbery, a felony firearm violation,
and second degree murder.
As part of the sentencing, a family member
makes a victim impact statement on behalf
of the victim's mother, who's too
overcome with emotion to speak.
I sincerely hope that whatever it was you wanted so badly
that you felt the need to murder my son
was worth the next at least 52 years
in your continued existence.
You won't get the luxury of raising your child
because you took mine away.
NARRATOR: Wright's demeanor during this statement
is not what you might expect.
Your actions have led you to a prison cell,
but have also created an empty cell that I live in every day.
While you can still hope to be released one day,
I'll never escape my hell.
You are still alive, but Jordan has no future.
Thank you, your honor.
We're done.
NARRATOR: Wright and his attorney approach the podium.
Your honor, my client wants to address the court.
Of course.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Wright, what would you like to say?
I just want to tell y'all--
That's all you got to say?
NARRATOR: That opportunity could have been used to show remorse
to the court for his actions.
It wasn't.
You know, I have never in 23 years, approximately,
ever not accepted a sentence agreement between
the parties because it's a bargained-for
sentence by the parties.
But watching you sit there, smile and laugh
and shake your head like this was no big deal,
I'm very tempted to just say, I'm
not going to accept this sentence agreement,
we'll go to trial.
And if you're convicted of felony murder,
you'll go to prison for the rest of your life.
That means you'll die there.
That's what I'm tempted to do.
NARRATOR: The judge does have the authority
to reject the plea deal.
Mr. Bellow, do you want me to accept this sentence agreement?
Your honor, before I answer the court's question,
I would like an opportunity to discuss
it with the victim's family.
If the court would pass it, I would appreciate it.
Be happy to do that.
We'll pass this matter.
NARRATOR: It's now up to the prosecution
to decide whether or not to dismiss the agreement
and pursue a trial.
I have had a very lengthy discussion
with the victim's mother, as well as his grandparents
and some family members.
They understand that obviously this is the defendant who
brutally murdered their son by shooting
him in the back of the head.
He's shown absolutely no remorse.
However, the Klee family does want to move on with this.
They want to get some closure from this case.
And they want to try and forgive this defendant and all
of his actions for what he did.
And they are asking, as well as the people, that you
proceed with the sentencing.
OK.
NARRATOR: Wright has another opportunity
to address the court, this time through his attorney.
Your honor, my client asked me to apologize to the court.
His smiling was in no way meant as disrespectful,
either to the family, to the victim, or to this court.
My client is 17 years old.
He has some emotional problems and frankly was scared.
And some people display fear by smiling.
He really meant no disrespect.
He does take this very seriously.
And I think he does feel bad about it.
NARRATOR: The judge accepts the sentencing
agreement, which puts him behind bars for 25 to 52 years.
NARRATOR: When defendant Cyrus Matthews
was there on misdemeanor charges stemming
from a road rage case--
Hey, hey, hey.
Call the police.
Have him charged with escape, felony escape
if he doesn't get back to this court.
NARRATOR: --Matthew's girlfriend follows him out.
There seems to be a moment of hesitation
here on Matthew's part.
We now know it's the bailiff trying
to reason with him, explaining that his escape
will lead to felony charges--
to no avail.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Now, the Wadsworth police take over.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
NARRATOR: Matthews is way ahead, reaching speeds
of up to 90 miles an hour.
Officer James Walzers is receiving updates.
NARRATOR: Matthews has crashed into a white SUV,
seen just off the road there.
NARRATOR: That's Matthew's car there.
We're going to have multiple vehicles, airbag deployment.
Ma'am, are you OK?
WOMAN: Check on my baby.
WALZERS: OK.
NARRATOR: The passengers are a couple and their infant child.
It's OK. All right.
We got squads coming.
NARRATOR: Thankfully, they have non-life-threatening injuries.
WALZERS: Ashley, help them get out.
Help them get out.
He's up here.
NARRATOR: Officer Walzers hustles over towards Matthew's
car across the road.
WOMAN: God, please help.
Please.
I can't feel my leg.
WALZERS: Breathe in and out.
Breathe in and out.
POLICE: Walzers, I'm going to need multiple squads.
POLICE: OK.
Sit tight.
MATTHEWS: Oh my god.
NARRATOR: You can hear that Matthews realizes he's
made a truly horrible decision.
WALZERS: What was going on?
Why were you taking off?
WALZERS: What happened?
WALZERS: Why?
NARRATOR: Matthews and his girlfriend
are extracted by the Wadsworth police department
and taken to the hospital.
Matthews is charged with aggravated felonious assault
for injuring his girlfriend and the occupants
of the other vehicle.
He's sentenced to 425 days in jail.
His girlfriend is not charged.
Joining me now is the bailiff that you
saw there on that video.
Sharon Ray, thank you very much for joining us.
We appreciate it.
Thank you.
What were you saying to him to try to get him not to leave?
Well, what we were trying to say
is just don't make a permanent decision based
on temporary circumstances.
And I told him if he went back into the courtroom,
it was going to be OK.
But a felony follows you for a life,
and that's going to dramatically change your life.
For a second there, it looked like you'd convinced him
to go back to the courtroom.
I thought I had him.
But the girlfriend came out of the courtroom.
And when she did, he said, come on, let's go.
And she followed him.
And I remember saying to her, if you care for him at all,
you'll get him back in there.
And they didn't stop.
They ran for the car and took off.
Why was it such a bad idea for him to run?
Because he would have gone to jail for 60 days.
And because of what he did, he ended up
being convicted of aggravated felonious assault,
and he went to jail for 425 days.
He probably wishes that he had listened to you.
I think he does.
I wish he'd listened to me too.
Was his girlfriend injured?
She was injured.
She was in the car with him.
I believe they did use the jaw of life to get her out,
and she did have some surgeries.
And I have not kept up on where she is now or what she's doing
or if she's still his girlfriend.
I was just going to ask.
Do you know if they're still together?
I do not.
I'm sure it put a dent in their relationship.