Marva D. Turner (via opcso.org)
Marva Turner, 23, pleaded guilty to four counts of armed robbery, two counts of attempted armed robbery, two counts of simple robbery, one count of first-degree robbery, and one count of attempted simple robbery in a spree of robberies between Feb. 5 and Feb. 9, 2014, according to District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro’s office.
Turner drove while two men, Carlos Tobias and Joshua Summers, conducted the robberies, prosecutors said. Tobias and Summers pleaded guilty and received 15-year sentences, drawing criticism from Cannizzaro’s office, and Turner will serve 10 years in prison.
For more details, see the full news release from Cannizzaro’s office below:
On February 5, 2014, the defendant acted as a getaway driver in an attempted armed robbery in the 2100 block of South Lopez Street. On the same day, the defendant acted as a getaway driver in a first-degree robbery in the 3100 block of Nashville Avenue as well as a simple robbery in the 1600 block of Soniat Street.
The next day, the defendant acted as a getaway driver in the 4600 block of Lasalle. On February 8th, the defendant participated in an armed robbery at the intersection of South Robertson and Octavia. The next day, the defendant acted as a getaway driver in an armed robbery in the 3500 block of Robert as well as an armed robbery at the intersection of Marais and Ursuline. Finally, the defendant acted as a getaway driver in an armed robbery at the intersection of Milan and South Derbigny.
Carlos Tobias and Joshua Summers perpetrated all the robberies. Tobias and Summers pled guilty as charged to all counts more than a year ago as the ad hoc term of retired Judge Calvin Johnson was about to expire. Judge Johnson sentenced Tobias and Summers to 15-years, which is the lowest sentence allowed under Louisiana law. Today, Judge Byron Williams sentenced Marva Turner to a 10-year term of imprisonment.
Assistant District Attorneys Michael Trummel and Matthew Hamilton prosecuted the case.
In response to the conviction, District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro stated, “Armed robberies are on the rise in New Orleans. I intend to prosecute as many of these cases as aggressively as the law will permit.”
The defendant pled guilty-as-charged to all counts. A defendant convicted of armed robbery can receive a prison sentence of up to 99-years.
Why are people complaining about the short sentences? These people need to get out of jail sooner so they can continue robbing people, as soon as they can get some more guns. That should take at least a day or two.