Mr. Tunnell was found guilty after a two day jury trial on August 12th, 2017 of First Degree Murder for his role in the homicide of James Allen II, 26, of Pocomoke City, MD. Mr. Allen was shot once through the back in Pocomoke City during the late evening hours of December 1st, 2016.
The Office of the State’s Attorney for Worcester County filed its intention to seek Life without the Possibility of Parole prior to the August trial date and the Court ordered a pre-sentence investigation prior to the December 1st sentencing.
During sentencing, Deputy State’s Attorney Bill McDermott asked that Mr. Tunnell be sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed under Maryland law, stating that On December 1st, “Anthony Tunnell planned, orchestrated and successfully effectuated a calculated, cold blooded drug cartel style assassination because he believed someone stole his marijuana supply”. McDermott continued, “Mr. Tunnell decided to be judge, jury and executioner, and as certain as James Allen will never breathe again, a sentence of Life without the Possibility of Parole will ensure that Anthony Tunnell never harm another person in our community”.
Before imposing his sentence Judge Bloxom commented that on December 1st, 2016 Mr. Tunnell entered Worcester County with the intent “to assassinate James Allen”. He noted that one of the purposes of sentencing is to protect the community from people like Anthony Tunnell and that the sentence of Life without the Possibility of Parole would accomplish that purpose.
The State’s Attorney for Worcester County, Beau Oglesby commended the Maryland State Police’s Homicide Unit for their efforts: “Solving and successfully prosecuting this homicide required dedication and countless hours of investigation and preparation by members of law enforcement. Sergeant Sabrina Metzger, Sergeant Kyle Clark and all participating allied law enforcement investigators went above and beyond to protect Pocomoke City and the Worcester County community.”
Oglesby added, “thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, the citizens of Worcester County will wake up in the safety of their beds while Mr. Tunnell will wake up every day for the rest of his life in the confines of his cell”.
Chief William Harden of the Pocomoke City Police Department said, “The investigation and adjudication of the defendant is a prime example of effective collaboration between the Pocomoke City Police Department, The Worcester County Criminal Bureau of Investigations, The Maryland State Police and The Office of the State’s Attorney for Worcester County. The interests of justice were served, and the Office of the State’s Attorney should be commended for a job well done”
16 comments:
Killing another for a marijuana stash. The federal government had a hand in this.
Way to go, Rick!
Your friends in Florida
So what prison does he go to from here? No Worcester County Prison holds Lifer's! What ever prison gets him, the Warden of that prison can change his sentence.
Life without parole is acceptable, but now we the tax payers will have to support him for who knows how long, again, an eye for an eye, death penalty. That's real justice.
Life without parole is NOT justice, the death penalty is needed.
There was no reason to lose your temper. Mathias has been working on a new supply source for your stash for a couple of years now. It's called MEDICAL marijuana which means you can get it with your Medicaid benefit and SNAP.
@5:38 No warden can change the sentence of the court--where on earth do you get that idea? He could file for reconsideration or hope upon appeal the sentence is changed, but the warden can NOT change it.
@5:38 A warden can NOT change the sentence...where do you get that idea? Maybe the guy can get a change of sentence if he appeals and wins, but don't bet on it...
So who is this Rick guy?
If you give him life, why not a death sentence,prison system is a burden on taxpayers. DA office is soft!
@9:45 "Rick" is Judge Richard Bloxom. And he will be sorely missed since he will be retiring.
Anonymous said...
@5:38 No warden can change the sentence of the court--where on earth do you get that idea? He could file for reconsideration or hope upon appeal the sentence is changed, but the warden can NOT change it.
December 5, 2017 at 7:49 PM:
Maybe that's what the Warden told HIM the last time he was locked up. Maybe that's a tactic to get inmates to comply, or to cooperate.
He will not live a lifetime in jail!
Wardens can in fact reduce sentence's. They can determine if an inmate can be let out earlier than the judge has handed down. It happens every single day across the country, I'm just not sure how it is handled for a single life sentence?
2:16 if it happens everyday then please provide an example. It shouldn't be hard to find one since as you point out it happens every day. Sadly you are just another misinformed individual.
Wardens don't let inmates out early. They can make recommendations to a parole board about early release, they can also provide input about releasing inmates when the prison is overcrowded, but they don't commute sentences. That is not within their power.
@2:16...again, INCORRECT. The warden does not reduce the sentence--the Parole Commission decides if and when a person is released...they could mandatory out, but the warden is not the one to decide...dimmunition credits. good time etc. but the warden does not just say "OK pal, you can go"
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