High School Basketball Recruit Tony Farmer Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

The image showing a highly sought after high school basketball prospect from Ohio collapsing in court after he was sentenced to 3 years in prison for assaulting and kidnapping his girlfriend is making its rounds on the Internet this week.

Cameras in the courtroom captured the shock on 18-year-old Tony Farmer‘s face as Judge Pamela Barker read the details of his jail sentence aloud.

“I got three years?” the clearly stunned (and somewhat confused) basketball star was heard asking his lawyer aloud, as Barker continued with sentencing, slapping Farmer with two years for felonious assault and two years for robbery

At that point, Farmer, under the impression that he was headed to prison for the next seven years, collapsed to the floor in true.

After Farmer got back up, Judge Barker explained to him that his terms would be served concurrently, and that he would only spend three years behind bars.

Farmer, a rising high school senior, was indicted back in May stemming from a fight with his now ex-girlfriend Andrea Lane at her apartment building in April 2011.
 

Farmer was also charged with intimidation for sending Lane threatening text messages and voicemails.

Believe it or not, prior to his sentencing, Farmer’s ex-girlfriend provided an impact statement on his behalf, asking the judge to not send him to prison.

“I don’t know what type of help he needs. I don’t know what was wrong with him that day. I know he was a good person. I hope he still is. I hope he learns from this,” Lane said.

Farmer’s basketball coach also spoke for him, telling the court, “I’m here to say with my heart, that this young man, if you give him an opportunity, in five years from now, he’s gonna make you proud. I know it. I know him.”

But after reviewing the tape of the assault, the judge decided that some time behind bars was what Farmer deserved.

Judge Barker said of the video:

“Lane is literally cowering in a corner and she is trying to push him away from her. And ultimately, then, he, hits her in the head several times as she is cowered in that corner. That’s what the court witnessed on those videotapes, and that does not incorporate, as far as I understand, is all that took place because this was within the confines of the apartment complex.”

Surveillance video shows Farmer striking 18-year-old Andrea Lane in the head, and then continuing to strike and kick her as she cowered in a corner and pleaded for him to stop. But police say he then dragged her outside by the hair and continued to assault her.

Then, when she tried to get back inside the apartment building, he attacked her again, tried to pull her outside and later kicked her in the head four times. In court on Tuesday Lane said, “I don’t know what was wrong with him that day, I mean I know he was a good person, I hope he still is, I hope he learns from this.”

 His girlfriend Andrea Lane

 Tony Farmer's

Posted by Daxx on friday 24 Aug