$25,000 = get out of jail card
Man pays off stabbing victim to avoid prison sentence
By SCOTT DAUGHERTY, Staff Writer
The case started with Keith Anthony Rantin Jr. trying to purchase a crab cake. Prosecutors said it ended with him buying his way out of prison.
Rantin pleaded guilty to first-degree assault yesterday in the county's Circuit Court in Annapolis, admitting he stabbed 37-year-old Jeffrey Rites on March 28, 2006 as the two men argued over who was next in line at the popular G&M Restaurant carryout in Linthicum.
But instead of sending him to jail, Circuit Court Judge Michele D. Jaklitsch gave him a 10-year suspended sentence on the condition he pay the victim $25,000. She also placed him on five years probation.
"Pure financial compensation is not justice," said Kristin Riggin, spokesman for the State's Attorney's Office, adding state sentencing guidelines called for Rantin to spend seven to 13 years behind bars.
She said it was not a part of a plea agreement and prosecutors argued against the suspended sentence because it was too lenient.
"It's not a good precedent," she said. "There is a balance to be found."
Kenneth Ravenell, Rantin's defense attorney, said prosecutors are just posturing for the media.
"They were involved in this right up until we were in the courtroom," he said, describing it as a compromise. "This was not a slam dunk for the state by any stretch. ... We think justice was done."
Judge Jaklitsch declined to comment this morning, but was quoted in The Baltimore Sun as saying: "I think that it is important for the victim to get his money rather than wait seven to 10 years when he gets out."
This was the second time Rantin, 32, of Reisterstown, appeared in court for the crab cake stabbing. When the case first went to court in March, a jury could not reach a verdict.
But Rantlin is not done with the criminal justice system. He was charged April 6 with attempted first-degree murder in Baltimore.
He is awaiting trial in that case.
During the first crab cake trial, the prosecutor and defense attorney agreed on the basic facts: Mr. Rites started to walk to the counter at the Linthicum restaurant, Rantin told him he was going out of turn and they shoved each other. During the fight, which employees tried to break up, Mr. Rites was stabbed.
But the lawyers disagreed about who started the fight and who had the knife first.
Assistant State's Attorney Michael Dunty said Rantin walked up behind Mr. Rites and said, "(Expletive), you ain't next."
He said Mr. Rantin then spit in Mr. Rites' face, causing Mr. Rites to shove him. He said Rantin then came up behind Mr. Rites and stabbed him in the back and hand.
Defense lawyer Kenneth Ravenell said Rantin wasn't angry at first, but rather told Mr. Rites, "I'm sorry, you're not next." He said Mr. Rites started the shoving, and Rantin simply came up behind him at the counter and shoved back.
Mr. Ravenell also said several witnesses heard Rantin say, "He's got a knife!" during the fight. After banging Rantin's arm on the counter until he dropped the knife, Mr. Rites went outside and passed out on the sidewalk. Rantin left and wasn't arrested for two days.
"This is pure random violence," Ms. Riggin said. "He should not be able to buy his way out of prison."
