Spokane7
67°
November 8, 2011 in City
Spokane man eschews plea deal, gets 184 years
A man sentenced to 184 1/2 years in prison for a shooting that injured one person declined a plea deal that would have given him 10 to 12 years in prison.
Gregory Sharkey, Jr., 27, had three attorneys in nearly two years before Spokane County Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt convicted him of 10 counts of first-degree assault, said his public defender, Terence Ryan.
Sharkey was arrested in December 2009 after a two-day crime spree in which shots were fired at a Spokane police officer and at a group of young people outside a home. Sharkey fired indiscriminately into the group while co-defendant Tony E. Dawson shot one person.
Later, after passing by the shooting scene, Dawson opened fire on a Spokane police patrol car; no one was injured.
State law requires that sentences for violent felonies be served consecutively. The first count of first-degree assault carried a standard range of 24 to 29 years, including enhancements because Sharkey and Dawson used firearms. The remaining nine counts each brought a standard range of about 17 to 20 years.
The result was an eye-opening sentence of 2,215 months — the low end of the standard range. Imposed by Sypolt late last month, Sharkey’s sentence is an example of what can happen under strong gun sentencing laws enacted by the Washington state Legislature in 1995.
“We made him an offer of much less than that and he chose to go to trial,” said Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Mark Cipolla, who handled the case. “I don’t have any direction at sentencing once somebody goes to trial.”
In addition, Sharkey chose to take his case to a bench trial instead of a jury trial, Ryan said.
“I told him it might be wiser to go in front of a jury,” Ryan said. “That’s 12 people who have to make a decision, with a judge it’s just one person.”
Sharkey declined an interview Monday at the Spokane County Jail, where is awaiting transport to prison. Ryan said Sharkey didn’t seem surprised by the sentence.
“He was surprised that the judge found him guilty, but he wasn’t surprised at the length of the sentence,” Ryan said. “He knew all about the sentencing, the possible worst-case scenario.”
Cipolla said the Legislature “is tough on people using multiple guns in violent crimes,” adding that he agrees with that stance. “Ten people could have ended up dead here.”
Sharkey supplied both guns used in the crimes, Cipolla noted.
Dawson is serving about 21 years for the crimes. Margaret Shults, who was in a stolen SUV from which Dawson fired shots, is serving 77 months.
Both did what Sharkey did not: accept a plea deal.
Sypolt’s decision to convict Sharkey of 10 violent felonies left the judge no choice at sentencing.
“It’s apparently what the Legislature wanted when they passed what’s called ‘hard time for armed crime,’” said Ryan, Sharkey’s attorney.
Sharkey’s convictions have already been appealed.
Sharkey had a previous felony conviction for first-degree robbery. He was shot while committing that crime in February 2006.
Cipolla said he’s “had a couple” of 100-plus-year sentences while a deputy prosecutor, including Anthony L. Wright, who’s serving 134 years for a drive-by shooting that killed a 3-year-old girl in 2001.
“Few and far between, but they’re there,” he said.
Human trafficking suspects released 
opiemuyo on November 08 at 3:23 p.m.
Outstanding! Nice to see gun laws that work against criminals that use them and not gun owners.
soccermomsusie on November 08 at 3:26 p.m.
Our revolving-door Libertard justice system guarantees that he will walk free in less than 117. Small solace for the victims or their great-great-great-great grandchildren.
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
oneanddone on November 08 at 3:51 p.m.
Don’t pity the fool. He easily could have killed many innocent people. Schleps like this have no business being out and about. Personally, I think someone this callous has no right to be alive.
Lewis on November 08 at 4:42 p.m.
just imagine if he was a cop he would be walking free cause he did a few good deeds in his life.
He injured one person but a local cop beat a man to death and is at home getting drunk with his estranged wife go figure.
i assume the sentence also is harsh because he is a black man.
Lewis on November 08 at 4:44 p.m.
oneandone but ok for a killer cop to walk the streets right?
lowtechmaster on November 08 at 5:14 p.m.
If he was a cop, he’d have walked out free!!
v1grwil on November 08 at 5:32 p.m.
Aaaaaahhh, the face of true genius. Gotta love it!
_Obamanation_ on November 08 at 5:54 p.m.
Oh NO…msJ…Soccermomsusie said “libtard” actually where I got it to begin with….I see you are all up in arms over her usage of the term….
Get with it msJ!!!
misjustice on November 08 at 5:56 p.m.
While this was a serious crime, I must question what appears to be over charging and over sentencing in the relation to the true harm caused by his actions.
_Obamanation_ on November 08 at 6:09 p.m.
clearly msJ is is not the term “libtard” or any other “tard” term that really bothers you…..or you would have take up issue with SMS and others long ago……
I will take your silence as confirmation of such…..
greenlibertarian on November 08 at 6:11 p.m.
Well of course it’s all the fault of that Muslim Obama and his socialism.
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greenlibertarian on November 08 at 6:14 p.m.
Obamanation_ on November 08 at 5:54 p.m.
Oh NO…msJ…Soccermomsusie said “libtard” actually where I got it to begin with….I see you are all up in arms over her usage of the term….
Get with it msJ!!
Actually, no, if you could read properly, SMS didn’t write “libtard”, and SMS is a brilliant satirist while your comments only serve to increase the ignorance on any particular thread.
misjustice on November 08 at 6:14 p.m.
Green, of course it is!
misjustice on November 08 at 6:17 p.m.
SMS rocks!
She has cred on this thread.
The most recent reinvention and/or reincarnation of Hawken? Not so much!
_Obamanation_ on November 08 at 6:20 p.m.
Oh greenie…you’re right SMS didn’t use the term -tard….which so inflames msJ….
soccermomsusie on November 08 at 3:26 p.m.
Our revolving-door Libertard justice system guarantees that he will walk free in less than 117. Small solace for the victims or their great-great-great-great grandchildren.
HEAR OUR VOICE!!!
guess she stated LIBERTARD….no LIBTARD…..
thanks for the correction greenie….I’m sure the lack of that “R” has really what has been making msJ so upset…..
You bunch of LIBERTARDS……
_Obamanation_ on November 08 at 6:23 p.m.
msJ, I have been following these comments and these threads for years…. just started commenting because I am tired of you libs thinking you are the majority around here. You are NOT. Couldn’t care less if you think SMS has more “cred” or whatever….all are just opinions….
another_perspective on November 08 at 6:31 p.m.
When is the out of detention hearing scheduled?
There is a great disparety between State and Federal criminal codes. They need to be normalized.
greenlibertarian on November 08 at 6:32 p.m.
Very Hawken like, proud of the ignorance, ya know MisJ? Racist tendencies and the like. Their most joyous thing they do is to call names, in all caps no less. And act like they’re getting away with ‘cause Johny’s doing it, so they’re gonna do it too. It’s like Kindergarten.
Except they don’t understand that SMS is brilliantly mocking them and their beliefs… 10,000 feet over their heads.
/sigh.
There are intelligent conservative posters, I see them at WSJ’s pages, American Conservative Magazine, of few other places.
Why can’t we have any of those? And not these mindless spewers?
A few choice nudges and this one will go off crazy, repeatedly violating blog standards, and get banned.
westerly on November 08 at 6:33 p.m.
l-o-s-e-r…….. He needs Karl’s attorney and he would be a free man.
misjustice on November 08 at 6:56 p.m.
We have a few good ones too, Green; Orphan, Force Vector, and Northslope are some that come to mind. And of course you know I love Dick!
; )
Now, as to the article, I wonder why this guy didn’t take the plea deal? Didn’t anyone teach him about the “prisoner’s dilemma”?
D Statler on November 08 at 7:14 p.m.
There are three big loosers named in this article. The first is obviously Sharkey.The second is the scumbag prosecutor Cipola that will lie,cheat and do anything for a win,right or wrong. The third is a very lazy, public appointed attourney that does nothing but bring out his calculator for these deals.
This whole story stinks of prosecutorial misconduct and over charging so something would stick.This is quite normal for Cipola and his drug/gang task force prosecutors. Terry Ryan is a poor example of a defense lawyer.He often shows up for work under the influence.Conflict is his favorite excuse to get out of work.I am surprised that Judge Price isn’t the presiding judge.Anything goes in his courtroom also.Sharkey needed to go to jail. I hardly believe the taxpayers need to be responsible for over 100 years of housing. What a crock of Spokane BS.
D Statler on November 08 at 7:18 p.m.
You suppose he might not have been guilty of the crime he was charged with Miss J?
He probably would have taken a deal if he was charged correctly.
greenlibertarian on November 08 at 7:28 p.m.
Agreed MisJ. And gmorton, even tho I get sidesways with all of them at times, they communicate clearly for the most part and can defend their positions intelligently and often without attacking.
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Don’t know many of the facts of this case or the defendant’s state of mind that he thought he would prevail.
It’s also possible he wants to go to jail, forever, as it were.
Lewis on November 08 at 9:52 p.m.
green come on your more intelligent then your last post no one wants to go to jail for life.
this young man was made out to be a patsy, sure he deserves some time but he has already served 3 years.
while he was sitting in jail waiting sentencing karl the klubber was pulling 80 grand a year as a cop. and karl helped kill a innocent disabled man who worked and paid taxes like the rest of us.
i can not help but think the lie the pigs told that he shot at their car and the fact he is black had a lot to do with this crazy sentencing, 100 years will cost the taxpayer 3 million bucks to house him while karl the klubber has already been paid 400 grand just in salary after beating a man to near death.
maybe the kid was lied to told not to take plea bargain, then was thrown under the bus by our lope sided justice system.
i would rather take my chances with this kid out on the street then a crazy cop with a badge an a license to kill at will.
some of the stuff you say i just shake my head, no wonder this town is so screwed up, a kid shoots a gun in the air gets 100 years, a cop and 7 of his buddies murder a man the city leaders cover it up and all is well in nazispokane.
next black man gets what 1000 years. the good part for this kid is the justice system wont be around in 100 years, as revenue streams dry up the prisons will just be abandoned. look at the state run mental hospitals back in the 90’s they literally kicked all the inmates out on the street.
i am so mad over this karl thing i hope to god i don’t have some pig get in my face we both will be having a dirt nap with Otto.