Update: RI seeks maximum sentence in boating death
5:28 PM Mon, Jun 29, 2009 | Permalink
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PROVIDENCE , R.I. -- The state is asking the court to sentence the teenager who admitted he struck and killed his friend with a boat on the Barrington River to five years in prison, the maximum allowed under a plea deal reached in May. Defense lawyers are asking that Ryan A. Greenberg remain on home-confinement, saying he has shown significant remorse and does not pose a threat to society. In a sentencing memorandum filed in Superior Court Friday, prosecutors seek for Judge Daniel A. Procaccini to impose a five-year sentence against Greenberg for his role in the death of his friend and Barrington High School classmate, Patrick Murphy, after a day of boating with other teens on the river on July 17,2007. Greenberg, 19, now of Providence, in May agreed to plead no-contest to reckless boating, death resulting. Under the agreement, he faces 2½ to 5 years in prison at his sentencing July 22. The state argues Greenberg deserves the maximum penalty because of his brazen recklessness that day as he gunned the boat toward his friend, while talking to his girlfriend on the cell phone, as 17-year-old Murphy floated in the river after falling off a kneeboard. Murphy's last words were "Ryan No! No Ryan!" according to the testimony of Brendan Loflin, another teen on the boat, the state said. The memorandum details the hours leading up to Murphy's death in which the teenagers, including Murphy, bought and drank alcohol, though they were underage. It says Murphy and Greenberg engaged a war of words that sounded to witnesses as if they were about to fight. "The true motivation for the defendant's actions in accelerating the boat toards Patrick Murphy will probably never be known ...," Deputy and Assistant Attorneys General Gerald J. Coyne and Christian Capizzo wrote. "If his reckless action was intended as the equivalent of a game of 'chicken' ... he could not have been more wrong." Greenberg, the state said, then began a calculated effort to cover up the crime, threatening others not to "narc him out," a threat that lasted until after Murphy's body was recovered the following day. The state questions his potential for rehabilitation given that he was picked up since his arrest for possessing alcohol as a minor and pleaded no-contest to violating a protective order by contacting an ex-girlfriend. He is now on home-confinement. The state argues that it is not appropriate for Greenberg to serve his term on work release or home confinement. Defense lawyers, by contrast, are asking that Greenberg remain on home-confinement, saying he has shown significant remorse and does not pose a threat to society. They describe Murphy's death as a tragic accident in a competing memorandum also filed Friday. They say a state Department of Environmental Management's report that concluded Greenberg had gunned the boat at Murphy was not based on solid evidence. They argue the global positioning data reveals that the incident did not happen as DEM described. 
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Is that kid crazy? You do not aim a boat at somebody and gun it. Never mind talking on a cell phone with his friend. I think talking on cell phones should be banned while steering a boat it is no different than a car you can still kill somebody. I hope he does the whole sentence and no BS about good time for good behavior etc. That makes me sick. He should have thought about what he was doing the little jerk.
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Why was he allowed to deal for a sentence? It seemed like a cut and dry case to most of the public. So he goes to prison for 5 years. He will be out in 3 and he will again become a problem. Since being arrested he was caught posessing alcohol and contacting an ex-girlfriend. This kid will never learn.
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I hope in prison he discovers humanity
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The Barrington Police messed up. They could not keep their mouths shut and ruined the case. Once they stated in the media that Greenberg appeared intoxicated.. it removed the possibility of premeditation. The Police should have been more professional and kept their mouths shut until after all the facts were in and "AFTER the trial".
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Even if this creep gets 5 years he is out at 24 years old. How ridiculous, he will be partying in some dorm and acting like this never happened.
This kid has been a bad apple for his whole life. God knows what he will do when he gets out.
I'm a Barrington resident and do not want this nut job ever released.
His parents should be ashamed of their neglect bringing up this kid. They moved from town but there is blood on their hands wherever they move to. Cowards.
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donte stallworth who is about 30 years old and plays for the cleveland browns in the national football league drove drunk, ran over and killed a man....his sentencing just ended and he got sentenced to 30 days in jail...thats right only ONE MONTH
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For the people bad mouthing Ryan and his family, get over yourself. Do not judge his parents because you do not know them nor will you ever. If your child made a mistake such as Ryan, you would not want ruthless jerks on the internet adding salt to the wound. Find something else to talk about, something that actually involves you. Ryan and his family are amazing people no matter what has happened in their past.
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I agree with nld. Childrens, teens and even adults actions do not always have a direct relation to parenting.
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Are you kidding? The ethics, beliefs, and responsibility that parents bestoy on their children absolutely have a big impact as to how they are raised. They need to be accountable for their actions, and these Barrington parents need to stop enabeling these teens. They need to stop making excuses for them, and most of all WHY are these parents giving these teens access to boats, and automobiles? As a Criminology student, I am educated, and can say without a doubt, that this case went wrong right from the start. The defense is aking for time served, and home confinement....What a joke, Seriously I am embarrased to live in this town. As the parents of Patrick Murphy have nightmares of their son screaming...No Ryan, No, I can only hope that our justice system inproves. As of now, I have lost faith in the system!!!
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