MY TURN: Outrageous sentencing - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

MY TURN: Outrageous sentencing

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He had been out all night long partying at a club. The police said he smelled like marijuana when they arrested him. And he pleaded guilty to reckless vehicular homicide for killing a Cordova man with his car last year.

Yet 19-year old Samer Sakaan was sentenced to only 30 days in jail for this crime.

Criminal Court Judge W. Mark Ward rejected the sentencing request of the prosecuting attorneys who wanted Sakaan to serve at least three years for this crime.

This is an outrageous result.

Sakaan explained his reckless behavior by saying he was angry with the driver in front of him for going too slowly, so he passed the woman at a high rate of speed in a no passing zone.

The Cordova man who died, William Marshall, was the father of two young sons. The boys' mother died of cancer just three weeks after Marshall's death. Marshall's friends and family described the lenient sentence as "the ultimate slap in the face."

They are correct. If this is the law in Tennessee, it needs to be changed.

That's my turn. Now it's your turn. To comment on this segment or anything else, email yourturn@wmctv.com or call 800-465-1210.

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