Pontiac

Teenager guilty of manslaughter sentenced as adult

By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

PONTIAC — Sixteen-year-old Leonard White was considered an adult in the eyes of the law when he was sentenced Jan. 11 in Oakland County Circuit Court.

Judge Wendy Potts gave White an adult sentence of four to 15 years in prison after he was convicted in December of the voluntary manslaughter of Johnathan Rickman, 17.

White’s attorney, Rowland Short, said the sentence was longer and more severe than the juvenile or “blended” sentence that he had hoped for. He said White was faring well in the juvenile system, and Short doesn’t think it will benefit White’s family or the community to place him with adult prisoners.

“We do understand, though, the position that the judge was in,” he said. “Johnathan Rickman is no longer here. We are disappointed (about the sentence), but we do understand.”

White was arrested after stabbing Rickman with a kitchen knife June 4, 2011. The two teens reportedly had argued in the kitchen of a home in the 7000 block of Rafford Lane in West Bloomfield while hanging out with their peers. White was 15 at the time of the stabbing.

During the trial, both sides pointed out that Rickman was taller and weighed more than twice White’s weight. The prosecution said White had enough time to premeditate the killing and chase down a slower Rickman, while the defense accused Rickman of starting the fight and said the stabbing was in self-defense.

Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said the judge had a choice of whether she wanted White to serve as a juvenile, an adult or something in between. The judge also had to consider the defendant’s history and background, and the nature of the offense.

“What you would say is all sentences are geared for the individual case and the individual defendant,” Cooper said.

She said White’s sentence locks him into serving at least four years, and it will be up to the Michigan Department of Corrections Parole Board to determine whether he will serve the rest of the time.

Cooper called the prison time “a very severe sentence,” though White could have been given a longer sentence had the jury found him guilty of first-degree or second-degree murder. Assistant Prosecutor Jeff Hall said during opening remarks that he intended to prove premeditated murder.

Nevertheless, Cooper praised the prosecution for doing “a very fine job.”

“We charge what we believe that we can prove, and then as the case goes on,” she said. “It’s always up to the jury to make that determination. … Six months later in the trial, sometimes witnesses’ memories fade.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1058.