BLM Rioter Sentenced After Innocent Man Was Burned Alive

burned

A BLM rioter has been sentenced to only ten years in federal prison for starting a fire that burned down a pawn shop in Minneapolis during the 2020 riots, killing an innocent man in the process. 26-year-old Montez Terriel Lee was among the rioters who broke into the pawnshop and other businesses during the George Floyd riots, looting and burning indiscriminately. He was recorded celebrating the deed after lighting the shop on fire.

Rioter burned shop with man inside

The circumstances surrounding the death of 30-year-old factory worker Oscar Lee Stewart Jr. remain somewhat murky, though Montez Terriel Lee’s part is clear.

Oscar Stewart was not employed by or the owner of Max It Pawn, the Minneapolis shop which Lee and other rioters torched during their rampage.

Stewart, who was black, told his mother that he was stopping in the area to observe the unrest but is not reported to have taken any active role in the events.

His family has said that he was a regular customer at several local pawn shops, particularly Max It Pawn. His final purchase was recorded as a $27 charge at a pawnshop, presumably Max It Pawn.

After the shop burned, bystanders began to notice that someone was still inside and was unable to get out. Eventually, they stopped hearing from the person trapped inside, who they had been unable to reach.

It took two months for remains to be found in the rubble of the pawn shop. The body was quickly identified as Stewart’s and it was established that he had died from burns and smoke inhalation.

Defendant asks for mercy

The death was ruled a homicide and Lee was charged for setting the fire, though not directly for causing Stewart’s death. He pleaded guilty to a single count of arson.

Lee’s defense argued that he had been a responsible arsonist and had checked the building to make sure that no one was inside before he burned the shop.

Prosecutors demanded that the death of Stewart be considered when deciding the sentence for Lee and disregarding his request for a more lenient punishment.

The convicted arsonist and his attorney claim that he had intended to protest against police violence and that this can be a learning experience that will make him a better person.

“This moment in life doesn’t define who I am” said Lee. For the next ten years, at least, it does define who he is according to the court.

It is still an overly lenient sentence for an arsonist whose actions resulted in a man’s death, but given how rare it is for BLM rioters to face any time in prison, this is a step in the right direction.

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