Same old story

Baltimore man convicted in 1991 for killing a 6 year old is not only out of prison, but done with probation.

And apparently didn’t learn anything.

His name is Arthur Tyler Felton, 38.

A check of the records reveals a stunning fact: Arthur Tyler Felton shot and killed 6-year-old Tiffany Smith in July 1991 during a gun battle with a rival drug dealer in West Baltimore’s Walbrook community.

The shooting outraged the city much in the same way Sunday’s stabbing death of Stephen Pitcairn does today, complete with similar complaints of lenient prison sentences for prior crimes and failures of judges and others to hold criminals accountable.

Felton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, agreed to testify against his rival and got a 30 year sentence, with all but 18 years suspended. He was released in 2005, after spending 13 years behind bars, and completed his probation just three months ago.

Yet we continue to lock up people who’s only crime is intoxication.  Something’s just not right.