[B/R] https://reurl.cc/x78VRN
Dorian Finney-Smith's father, Elbert Smith Jr., was granted conditional
freedom by the Virginia Parole Board on Wednesday after serving over 28 years
in prison.
And Finney-Smith's former team, the Dallas Mavericks, assisted him in his
quest to help secure his father's freedom.
According to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, Mavericks governor
Mark Cuban, general manager Nico Harrison and "other franchise leaders" all
provided "written testimonials" during Smith's hearing, "all vouching for
Finney-Smith's character."
Finney-Smith was joined at the hearing by Harrison and Mark Cuban Companies
chief of staff Jason Lutin, while his former head coach Rick Carlisle joined
the hearing virtually.
"I'm just happy we could help," Cuban told Townsend. "We are indescribably
appreciative to Mr. Kilgore and glad for Doe Doe [Finney-Smith's nickname]
and his dad. Doe is a special guy. He deserves this."
Lutin played a major role in the hearing, helping Finney-Smith prepare the
legal case to help set his father free. The pair turned to former Virginia
attorney general Jerry Kilgore, now a partner at law firm Cozen O'Connor, who
agreed to take on the case pro bono.
"Lutin's the GOAT; he's that dude," Finney-Smith told Townsend. "Jason told
me, 'You're always family' and he backed it up, for sure. He could have put
it on the back burner, especially after I got traded."
In 1995, Smith and Diefen McGann were attempting to collect a debt from
Willie Anderson II, each bringing a handgun with them. A scuffle broke out,
with Anderson attempting to secure McGann's gun. Smith said he lunged toward
Anderson with a knife, and Anderson let go of McGann's gun.
McGann then fired three shots at Anderson, killing him.
Both Smith and McGann were charged with first-degree murder, though McGann
pleaded down to voluntary manslaughter and served five years in prison.
Smith's lawyer recommended he didn't take that plea deal since he wasn't the
one who fired the shots, instead taking the case to trial, where Smith was
convicted of second-degree murder and malicious wounding. Those convictions
carried a prison sentence of 44 years.
For the majority of the 30-year-old Finney-Smith's life, his father was in
prison.
Smith will now live with Finney-Smith's mother Desiree and cousin, Frank
Smith, a retired police officer, in a home owned by Finney-Smith. Smith will
also participate in Finney-Smith's Finney Family First foundation.
Finney-Smith, now a member of the Brooklyn Nets after being traded as part of
last season's Kyrie Irving deal, expressed gratitude for the efforts of his
former team in his father's case.
"I appreciate everything the Mavericks did behind closed doors, the whole
situation," he said. "I'm always going to have love for Dallas and the
organization."
在牢獄裡待了28年之後，在上季由小牛被交易至籃網的球員
Dorian Finney Smith（略稱DFS）的父親終於在7/26時取得了假釋資格。
在此案件中，小牛隊為DFS提供了幫助。
小牛隊老闆Cuban及GM Nico Harrison和幾位名人堂等級球員都發出了聲
明，來闡述他們所認識的DFS。
在開庭時，Cuban、Hrrison及Cuban所屬關懷協會的主席Jason Lutin都共
同出席，而其前教練，現溜馬總教練Rick Carlisle則以線上方式參加。
Cuban：「我們很開心能幫上忙，DoeDoe（DFS的暱稱）是個特別的傢伙，
他值得得到這些，我們為DoeDoe及他父親感到開心，同時也感謝Mr.Kilgore
（主審法官）所做的決定」
DFS：「Lutin就是這種人，他告訴我，我永遠是這個大家庭的一份子，他永
遠都是我們的靠山，他本可以撒手不管，尤其是在我被球隊交易之後。
我很感謝小牛隊在螢光幕下為了我所做的一切，我永遠愛著這裡。
補充：
DFS的父親於28年前遭指控一級謀殺罪。
當時DFS的父親（以下稱Smith）與其友人Diefen McGann於向Willie Anderson II
收取債務時發生糾紛，Anderson試圖搶奪McGann腰際上的槍枝，
接著Smith持刀刺向Anderson，在Anderson鬆手後，McGann隨即向Andrson開了三槍
導致其死亡，Smith和McGann雙雙被指控一級謀殺罪。
McGann接受了認罪協議，最後於監獄中服刑了5年。
Smith及律師認為，Smith並未開槍，因此拒絕了認罪協議，最後於法庭上遭認定
傷害及二級謀殺罪成立，判刑44年。
小牛的粉專另外有一篇是轉達拉斯晨報的報導
有興趣的可以去看一下
https://reurl.cc/lDO659