Defendant in horrific attack at child's birthday party gets life sentence
Chaquone Watson, 7, and his mother were killed during a robbery attempt in 2006. Four defendants have been convicted, while a fifth awaits trial.
(Miami-Dade Police )
A man convicted of first-degree murder was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for his role in a horrific attack during a child's Spider-Man-themed birthday party in Florida in 2006.
The attack left a 7-year-old boy and his mother dead, and left two other adults and two other children all critically injured with gunshot wounds to their heads. It also sparked a massive police hunt for five suspects.
Defendant Sean Condell was handed six consecutive life terms because jurors weren't convinced he possessed a weapon during the attack, so prosecutors ended their pursuit of the death penalty, the Miami Herald reported.
"I hope you ponder your senseless crimes as you wait for death to take you out of prison," Circuit Judge Ellen Sue Venzer told Condell.
"I hope you ponder your senseless crimes as you wait for death to take you out of prison."
According to prosectors, Condell and four other men entered the North Miami-Dade home when the party was starting, mistakenly thinking there was a safe full of drug money inside.
Authorities said Chaquone Watson, 7, and his mother, Carla Queeley, were fatally shot, and Shantara and Ann Maynard -- relatives of Queely -- and Shantara's two children were critically injured.
Condell’s alleged partner Jose Estache, 37, will be tried separately, charged with wounding the Maynard sisters and two children, the Herald reported.
Three other defendants -- Rayon Samuels, Bjon Lee and Damian Lewis – each pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were each sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Samuels and Lee testified against Condell, the Herald reported.
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