Rosario Fuentez - 20 years

Rosario C. Fuentez was sentenced today.

He participated in the murders of four people on the Fourth of July 2008 in Milwaukee.

For his role in their deaths, Fuentez received 20 years.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Rosario Fuentez, 29, confessed to police and later testified against two friends who fired the fatal shots in the 2008 attack. Each of was convicted of four counts of first degree homicide, party to a crime. Antonio Williams, 26, was sentenced to life in prison. James R. Washington, 29, will be sentenced in March.

Fuentez pleaded guilty to reckless homicide, party to a crime, and testified at two trials. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors recommended the 20 year sentence. Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet, who presided over both Williams' and Washington's trials, said she thought Fuentez's testimony had a significant impact on the cases, and supported the 20 year sentence.

Fuentez testified he expected he, Williams and Washington were only going to scare people. He fired a handgun over the crowd while the other two fired rifles into the crowd, he said. Evidence supported his version of the shootings.

I think it's strange that the Journal Sentinel runs this headline: "Witness gets 20 years in quadruple homicide."

That's misleading. Fuentez was more than a witness.

He was a participant.

I think "Thug gets 20 years in quadruple homicide" would be more appropriate.