Kenosha---A man who shot a rival in the drive-through lane of a McDonald’s the day after Christmas last year received a 36 year-long prison term Monday.
33 year-old Cordel Smith had suspected that the victim, Jaime Vazquez, had vandalized his home and vehicle. Bad blood between the two existed because of a contentious family court case that involved Vazquez and his ex-wife, who at the time was the defendant’s girlfriend. Vazquez survived the attack, even though he’d been shot in the face three times.
"It is amazing that such a violent act could be committed over a neighborly dispute--over a family issue dispute--that people could get so carried away to think that the answer would be shooting someone with a gun," said Judge Mary Wagner.
Smith's attorney said that his client had only intended to intimidate the victim, and that when he Smith found Vazquez at the north side McDonald's that morning he snapped. Wagner, however, didn't buy it, calling the incident a "planned execution."
During the sentencing hearing, Vazquez’ fiancée tearfully read a statement describing how her family’s life had been turned upside down. "He's not the same person," she said.
Vazquez is blind in one eye, has impaired vision in the other and has limited use of one hand and needs more surgery, according to prosecutor Mike Graveley.
While Vazquez' fiancee recounted the difficulties the family now faces, Vazquez received high praise from Graveley. "To have survived the attack he survived and to be the man of quiet dignity of real compassion for the people in his family that I have seen every time I meet him is tremendous," Graveley said in court Monday.
Judge Wagner urged Vazquez to work as hard as he could to avoid having the shooting color his thoughts. Victims who allow crimes to limit their lives only give more control to the criminal, she said.
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