A judge sentenced one of three men arrested in the 2020 robbery and shooting of a Springfield man to 20 years in prison Thursday, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
On Jan. 27, a jury found Mark Salmon, 22, guilty of Robbery with a Firearm and Attempted Manslaughter.
Thursday, Prosecutor Frank Sullivan noted Salmon faced at least 10 years in prison for one of the crimes under Florida’s 10-20-Life law. He asked for a total sentence of 20 years. Circuit Court Judge Timothy Register ordered a 20-year sentence, with the first 10 years being served day-for-day with no gain time.
The case
At trial, Sullivan and co-prosecutor Jae Hee Kim proved that while Salmon did not pull the trigger or commit the robbery, he was armed and drove two co-defendants to the victim’s home knowing a robbery was planned. Anyone who participates in a crime is culpable for what happens under Florida law.
RELATED NEWS: 25-year sentence for Attempted Murder
RELATED NEWS: Orme, for third time, sentenced to death
The defendant is one of three men charged in the case, and the first to go to trial. One co-defendant is accused of shooting Sessions during the Feb. 22, 2020, incident. The other is accused of physically taking about $2,000 from him. Salmon was also there, armed with a pistol, according to testimony.
“If you find Mark Salmon participated in any way, he is just as guilty,” Sullivan said to jurors during his closing statements. “He is a principal to it and he’s just as guilty as the person who took the money.”
The victim, who Sullivan said was lucky to survive, testified at trial and said there were three men involved – the one who shot him, the one who robbed him, and Salmon.
“They started asking, ‘Where the money at, where the money at? We know you got money,’” the victim testified.
Sessions said he was trying to get it out of his pocket when the man with the rifle shot him, the bullet passing through his chin/lower lip and he was forced to the ground.
“That’s when I spit the teeth out and spit the bullet out,” he told jurors. Police recovered the bullet.
Basford thanked Springfield police, who investigated the shooting, interviewed the suspect, and testified at trial, for their work.
For additional information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.