A Florida teenager, one of the youngest people to serve a life sentence until his conviction was overturned, returned to prison Thursday for 30 years

Associated Press:

It was the latest twist in a legal saga that began with the death of a 6-year-old girl.

Lionel Tate, now 19, was 12 when he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 1999 beating death of Tiffany Eunick. His lawyers claimed at the time that Tate was imitating a pro wrestling move he had seen on television while rough-housing with a playmate.

His murder conviction was overturned by an appeals court in 2004 after the panel found it wasn't clear whether Tate understood the charges. He was freed from prison under a deal in which he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 10 years' probation.

Under the latest charge, Tate had faced between 10 and 30 years in prison for violating his probation by having a gun and allegedly robbing a pizza delivery man last year.

Tate entered a plea bargain earlier this year, but parted ways with his lawyer and asked to withdraw his guilty plea in the May 2005 robbery, saying he didn't fully understand it.

The judge on Thursday allowed Tate to withdraw the guilty plea, but still sentenced him on the gun charge.

Fla. Teen Gets 30 Years for Gun Possession

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