Man found guilty of vehicular manslaughter in death of Charles 'Mask' Lewis
by Geno Mrosko on Dec 8, 2010 9:12 PM EST
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The death of Charles "Mask" Lewis, founder of the popular multi-million dollar MMA clothing line and television show TapouT, shocked the world of mixed martial arts and beyond on March 11, 2009. Now, more than 18 months since that fateful day, the trial of the man accused of causing his death has ended and the verdict is in.
Jeffrey David Kirby of Costa Mesa, California, has been found guilty of vehicular manslaughter and faces a potential sentence of 13 years, according to The Orange County Register.
From the article:
A jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about six hours before finding Jeffrey David Kirby guilty of one count of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence while intoxicated, plus a sentencing enhancement for causing great bodily injury to a second victim.
Kirby, 53, now faces a potential sentence Feb. 4 of as many as 13 years in prison from Superior Court Judge Richard F. Toohey.
The jury acquitted him of a penalty enhancement that he fled the scene of an accident, which potentially saved him an additional five years in prison.
Kirby, who had previous drunken driving convictions (1985, 2002) prior to March 11, maintains that he feels "deeply remorseful" about the role he played in the car crash.
TapouT was launched in 1997, with nothing more than a vision and a handful of merchandise — and enough gas in their van to follow fighters across the state of California to promote and sell TapouT clothing.
Now his empire, along with Dan "Punkass" Caldwell and Timothy "Skyskrape" Katz, includes a reality TV show, a line of bottled water, an impressive stable of mixed-martial-arts fighters and of course its massive clothing line, which went from a few thousand dollars in sales back in the late 90’s to over $100 million in 2008.
The TapouT line was acquired by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) back in September.
Now, finally, the family of Lewis and fans the world over can have some closure on this issue.
Stay tuned to MMAMania.com for more developments on Kirby's sentence when it gets handed down in February.
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WTF! 13 years for a repeat offender, killing one person and harming another? Garbage!
by Edgecrusher71 on Dec 8, 2010 10:01 PM EST up reply actions
Mask had a roll in his death too though. He was racing and I believe going over 100mph, that's crazy!
RIP
Anderson Silva is by far the number one P4P king!!! Even when he is losing a fight he still comes back and finishes for the win! GSP dominates the whole fight and still can't finish! LOL
Am I wrong in the impression that Lewis was also involved in the race…or was the other guy just being a dick? The info that seemed to come out when this all went down was that they were racing and the guy lost control.
no you are not wrong
maybe kirby was there and driving like an idiot. but so was mr. mask. mask was a big boy he did not have to race. to blame all of this on kirby is a travesty. take his license maybe some time ion the hole but 13 years, FARCE!
your a fucking genius, take his license for life since 3rd offence of dui, and causing injury and death in last case, and send him to jail sounds fair to me, takes 2 to tango, he is not innocent at all
Exactly, Mask Already paid the price for his mistake
Now it’s this guys turn. He’s getting off easy if u ask me
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."-Albert Einstein
by Craigo8609 on Dec 8, 2010 11:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
nobody put a gun to masks head and made him act stupid, this guy did not murder him
if you want to lock him up for a 3rd dui, fine we are all better off. but dont blame him for mask acting like an idiot
correct me if im wrong
but Mask made the decision to race his sports car (against this drunk fuck Kirby), couldnt handle it (literally), and crashed his own car and died. Right?
Responsible for his own death, 13 years is much, imo.
If i choose to race some guy (dont have the type of car to do it) then im taking my own life in my hands, and wouldnt blame the other person for my own stupidity and lack of ability.
Accountability, folks.
most will not agree, i know.
Ill keep track myself.
For TUF i would have went 3/6
I stand at 83 in my lone man wolf pack pool
by *Californication* on Dec 8, 2010 11:41 PM EST reply actions
Most may not, but I certainly do. I’m a little tired of Lewis being treated as a saint when he was the one out there racing at 3 am. Maybe if he could control his pride and not get all worked up when some douche in a Porsche rev’s his engine, he wouldn’t be dead. Both guys fucked up and both are paying the price. Sometimes justice is cold, but it’s also generally dished out quite fairly.
by Steven Abbott on Dec 8, 2010 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
This guy is being revered as an MMA pioneer
who died because of this Kirby fellow.
He killed himself, plain and simple.
13 years is ridiculous, regardless of his past.
Ill keep track myself.
For TUF i would have went 3/6
I stand at 83 in my lone man wolf pack pool
by *Californication* on Dec 9, 2010 12:05 AM EST up reply actions
I was agreeing with you! Also, 13 years is the max, which hasn’t been doled out yet. Being that this is his 3rd DUI, I’d say he is likely to get around 10 years since someone died in the accident. I understand he started a clothing company that sponsored fighters, but the reverence being dished out to him after his death seems overstated. I guess I could just be misinformed about his singular contributions, but it all seems to be honoring a dead person.
by Steven Abbott on Dec 9, 2010 12:10 AM EST up reply actions
Side note…I just got banned from BE because I offered the opinion that maybe he got what he deserved by racing. Guess they just like to ban those that disagree
by Steven Abbott on Dec 9, 2010 12:14 AM EST up reply actions
LOL!!! Yea they do, how dare you disagree. Bad Steven BAD! Im going to go over there now and do the same!
Anderson Silva is by far the number one P4P king!!! Even when he is losing a fight he still comes back and finishes for the win! GSP dominates the whole fight and still can't finish! LOL
Ok, I did, lets see what happens.
I don’t EVER go there anyway so they can ban me all day! BAN AWAY HOMO’S!!!
Anderson Silva is by far the number one P4P king!!! Even when he is losing a fight he still comes back and finishes for the win! GSP dominates the whole fight and still can't finish! LOL
hell you got a rec! i just got a douche who disagreed with me saying i was disgusting for saying the same shit. well played!
by Steven Abbott on Dec 9, 2010 12:20 PM EST up reply actions
no i know you were, just continuing the rant, lol.
also agree with you on The Dead Guy Factor.
Ill keep track myself.
For TUF i would have went 3/6
I stand at 83 in my lone man wolf pack pool
by *Californication* on Dec 9, 2010 12:15 AM EST up reply actions
13 years is a long time. Way too long given the circumstances.
"Cowards die many times before their deaths,
The valiant never taste of death but once."
Julius Caesar (II, ii, 32-37)
by Jeremyjackson on Dec 9, 2010 12:12 AM EST up reply actions
careful, some will calling for a hanging.
“he killed mask”
yeeesh.
Ill keep track myself.
For TUF i would have went 3/6
I stand at 83 in my lone man wolf pack pool
by *Californication* on Dec 9, 2010 12:16 AM EST up reply actions
Great post Cali! I agree.
Anderson Silva is by far the number one P4P king!!! Even when he is losing a fight he still comes back and finishes for the win! GSP dominates the whole fight and still can't finish! LOL
Did I miss something?
I didn’t realize Mask was racing the guy. Is that fact or just assumptions?
"Remember men, we are all winners in the eyes of Christ...except for the guy still bleeding on the canvass"
fact
Ill keep track myself.
For TUF i would have went 3/6
I stand at 83 in my lone man wolf pack pool
by *Californication* on Dec 9, 2010 1:25 AM EST up reply actions
No it’s assumptions. Kirby even admitted that he was trying to show his passenger the kind of car mask was driving. Mask might have been going too fast but he was not racing.
by hehehe hahaha on Dec 9, 2010 1:29 AM EST via mobile reply actions
He was racing! 100mph next to another car going 100mph is racing!
Anderson Silva is by far the number one P4P king!!! Even when he is losing a fight he still comes back and finishes for the win! GSP dominates the whole fight and still can't finish! LOL
What if he was just driving and this idiot pulled up beside him and swiped him?
I’ve been on the highway doing almost 100 mph. Doesn’t mean I’m racing.
Ok with your logic….say mask is going 100 mph and a person who let’s just say is driving a porche happens to see his car and wants to show his girlfriend it…and in order for her get a good look at it he speeds up to the 100 mph to get next to it. Now does that mean mask was racing him? Or some drunken idiot lost control of his car
by hehehe hahaha on Dec 9, 2010 10:50 AM EST via mobile reply actions
hes still driving over 100 on a road not designed for such speeds, so racing or not he is still partially to blame
by Steven Abbott on Dec 9, 2010 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
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