Judge sentences convicted killer to 'hard 50' years

Albert Richmond, a former Fort Scott resident convicted of first-degree murder in September by a Crawford County jury, learned Wednesday he'll spend the next 50 years in prison.

Crawford County District Court Judge Donald Noland sentenced Richmond to the "hard 50" for shooting to death Tyrone Owens last October in Pittsburg.

A Crawford County jury on Sept.14 convicted Richmond of premeditated first-degree murder.

The 30-year-old won't be eligible for parole until 2057.

His attorney, Michael Gayoso, asked Noland to make Richmond eligible for parole after 25 years. But Noland rejected the proposal because of Richmond's criminal history.

Richmond, last December in Bourbon County Court, was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison for pleading guilty on a possession of cocaine charge in 2004. Richmond, a former Fort Scott resident, was arrested by Fort Scott Police and Kansas Highway Patrol with an undisclosed amount of cocaine at a house on Osbun Street.

Richmond is currently serving the drug sentence.

Owens' death, according to court testimony, revolved around a marijuana transaction between Owens and another man that went bad.

He also served 10 years Missouri state prison after being convicted of a double murder in Jackson County, Mo.

Noland also rejected Gayoso's motion for a new trial which will likely prompt him to appeal the case to the Kansas Supreme Court.

Co-defendants Ramone Hester and Malcolm Jackson, who were with Richmond at the time of Owens' shooting, agreed to plea deals with the Kansas Attorney General's Office, which prosecuted the case, in exchange for testimony against Richmond.