When this animal gets out after 11 years (if that) of crime college, imagine the death toll.

I can't imagine the sense of putting someone who is already prone to robbing and killing people into a temporary system that will make them MORE vicious, and then releasing them on the streets while they are still young enough to easily keep killing.

Is there any worse crime than killing someone so that you can get away with some other horrific act against them?

Prosecutors say he shot a man to death but got 11 years because witnesses were....SCARED SILENT

Tuesday, April 10, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Family members of a dead Jersey City man were outraged yesterday by the 11-year-sentence meted out to Tyrone Rush in a cold-blooded killing, but prosecutors say it's not their fault - their case was weakened because witnesses were too afraid to testify.

"He's a murderer and I hate his guts, and (the sentence) is too short," said Adriane Parsons, the sister of Tyrone Parsons, who prosecutors say was gunned down by Rush on Dwight Street on Nov. 16, 2005.

Prosecutors said Rush, 23, chased Parsons while firing at him until Parsons went down, then pumped more rounds into his back, killing him. In the end, Rush pleaded guilty to being an accomplice in the shooting.

A handcuffed Rush smiled several times during the sentencing. Rush, who has already served one year and 4 months, must serve an additional seven years and 10 months before he has a chance of parole.

As Rush was led from the courtroom, one of Parsons' family members angrily told Rush: "Back to the hell hole."

Rush has been arrested 11 times as an adult and he had contact with the juvenile system 14 times. He has previous convictions on drug and weapons charges and was in prison from May 30, 2003 to April 22, 2005 and from June 30, 2005 to July 25, 2005. Yesterday he was also sentenced for robbery and weapon offenses.

Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Michelle Lakomy wanted a longer sentence.

"It's unfortunate that due to the Rush name, the Rush family, that the victims recanted, claimed they identified the wrong people, said they were not willing to come forward," Lakomy said. "The state has tried to do everything to seek justice under the circumstance."

Tyrone Rush's attorney, John Caruso of Newark, agreed that the case was weak but said there was no evidence any witness was intimidated.

"Only one man claimed to be a witness to the shooting. He only gave the statement when he himself was facing prosecution, and there were indications he was claiming he was forced to make the identification and was going to recant," Caruso said. "The only other eyewitness who claimed it was Rush identified someone else in a photo lineup."

Caruso, in asking the judge for leniency, claimed Rush was on drugs at the time and had a rough childhood.

Rush was taking eight tablets of the drug ecstasy a day, Caruso said, adding that Rush's father was abusive to his mother, stabbed her and once set their house on fire. The defense lawyer said his client dropped out of school in ninth grade and has two children, an 8-month-old and a 3-year-old child.

Tyrone Rush's cousin, Shawnatrayer Rush, claimed he was innocent.

"I think the court system failed us," she said. "The case was too weak to even bring him to court. I think they did it to accommodate the victim's family. He's not a saint, I know that, but he's an innocent man."

Miracle Moore-Rush, another cousin, said: "He was brought (to jail) as a boy and he'll come out a man. Thank God he won't be on the streets because he wouldn't survive."

Witness fear shaves time off sentence

Monday, April 09, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A convicted killer and drug dealer could have spent decades behind bars - but instead he could be out in just 13 years because witnesses were too scared to testify against him, prosecutors said.

Tyrone Rush, 24, of Arlington Avenue in Jersey City, will be sentenced today after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated manslaughter. He'd previously done more than two years in prison on drug charges, authorities said.

Rush admitted to gunning down Tyrone Parsons, 24, of Jersey City, in 2005.

"I'm not happy at all. He should have gotten life," said Parsons' sister, Adriane Parsons. "He should never see the streets again, just like I'm never going to see my brother. I have to go to the cemetery to see him. He will have his judgment, though."

Authorities were hoping to convict Rush in six more cases, but in the end, witnesses in four of them refused to testify.

"It is unfortunate that the community is not willing to come forward to assist with the prosecution of someone who is clearly terrorizing the community and making it unsafe to live in," Assistant Prosecutor Michelle Lakomy said. "They could have led to a longer sentence."

The witnesses told authorities they changed their minds about what had happened, or could no longer remember what happened.

"Those are the usual reasons," Lakomy said.

According to police, Parsons robbed Rush on Nov. 16, 2005. A day later, they ran into each other on Dwight and Van Cleef streets and Rush shot him six times.

In addition to the Parsons killing, Rush also will be sentenced today at 9 am. by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Peter Vasquez on charges of first-degree robbery in connection to another incident, and on weapons offenses.