What Did Tay K Do? Tay K, a rapper who gained notoriety for his song “The Race,” has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for his role in the murder of 21-year-old Ethan Walker during a home invasion in Mansfield, Texas in 2016.
The rapper, whose real name is Taymore McIntyre, was just 16 years old at the time of the incident.
In addition to the murder charge, Tay K was also found guilty of one count of aggravated robbery and given two additional 13-year prison sentences on two other counts of robbery. He has also been fined $21,000.
The case gained attention recently when he took to social media to claim that race played a role in his lengthy sentence.
On Twitter, he wrote, “I bet if I was a lil white kid they wouldn’t have gave me no 55 years for a crime I was alleged to play the most insignificant role in when I was 16…. They woulda rightfully argued that my mind wasn’t fully developed and gave me rehabilitation and a 2nd (1st) chance at adulthood.”
Tay K mentioned that a white teenage girl who was also 16 at the time received ten years of probation, while he and another co-defendant got lengthy prison sentences.
The rapper’s claims have sparked a mixed reaction on social media, with some agreeing that race may have played a role in his sentence, while others have criticized him for playing the “race card.”
To fully understand the case and the controversy surrounding Tay K’s claims, it is necessary to delve into the details of what he did to end up in prison for such a lengthy sentence.
In July 2016, Tay K and six others were arrested on capital murder charges following the death of a Mansfield drug dealer.
According to sources, two women and Tay K entered the dealer’s residence by seducing a 19-year-old in hopes of stealing money and drugs. However, things went awry and the dealer, Ethan Walker, was killed during the confrontation.
Tay K was also accused of robbing and knocking a 65-year-old man down to the point of unconsciousness in a separate incident.
In January 2017, Tay K was placed under house arrest while awaiting court proceedings.
However, he and his friend cut off their ankle monitors and fled to San Antonio, Texas, where they killed 23-year-old Mark Anthony Saldivar during a robbery.
During this time on the run, Tay K recorded “The Race,” which spoke about his time fleeing from the police.
However, Tay K was caught on June 30, 2017, and transferred to an adult jail in July 2017. His lawyer argued that he did not fire the lethal shot that killed Walker, which his girlfriend also testified to.
She claimed that Tay K’s hands were in the air when Walker was shot. It was revealed that Tay K’s role in the invasion was to find the drugs to steal. However, the rapper still faced murder charges.
Tay K’s claims that race played a role in his lengthy sentence have sparked a debate on social media.
Some users have pointed out that the criminal justice system has historically been biased against people of color and that black people are often given harsher sentences than white people for the same crime.
Others have criticized Tay K, saying that he is trying to use his race as an excuse for his actions.
It’s essential to recognize that while race may have influenced the sentence given to some defendants, it’s not always the determining factor.
The criminal justice system is multifaceted, and various aspects can contribute to a sentence, such as the gravity of the offense committed, the defendant’s criminal record, and the circumstances surrounding the crime.
