Born To Ride News

Victim’s family could reduce biker’s punishment if given opportunity

BY KEYONNA SUMMERS • FLORIDA TODAY • October 20, 2009

Imprisoned celebrity motorcycle builder Billy Lane wants a judge to give his fatal crash victim’s family another chance to say what kind of punishment he should receive, in hopes of getting his six-year sentence reduced.

In a defense motion to reduce a sentence filed in 18th Judicial Circuit Court, attorneys Greg Eisenmenger and Robert Berry said victim Gerald Morelock’s family have remained in touch with Lane in the aftermath of his August sentencing hearing.

Lane, 39, is serving time at the Avon Park Work Camp after pleading no contest earlier this year to one count of vehicular homicide for crashing his pickup truck head-on into Morelock’s motorcycle while speeding past slow traffic in a no-pass zone on Sept. 4, 2006. He also was sentenced to three years of probation.

During sentencing, the victim’s brother, Byron Morelock, and nephew, Sean Morelock, declined to recommend a punishment. But they told the judge the 56-year-old Sebastian Inlet park ranger loved children, and asked him to impose a sentence that would use Lane’s celebrity status to help save the lives of young people through a foundation they plan to create.

They also said they had built a relationship with Lane, who made a sincere face-to-face apology early in the case.

However, Lane’s attorneys said the men have since expressed that “the glare of the media and the large group of people in the courtroom” caused them to be vague about their feelings on a prison sentence.

“They were sufficiently overwhelmed by the experience that they did not fully express their feeling that Mr. Lane would better be able to benefit society if he were not incarcerated,” the defense motion says.

The attorneys want Circuit Judge Robert Burger to give the Morelocks another opportunity to be heard and to cut Lane’s sentence if he sees fit.

Reached Monday by phone, Assistant State Attorney Tom Brown said he had not yet seen the motion, but noted that Lane’s sentence is less than the nine years called for by prosecutors and sentencing guidelines.

“The judge took everything into consideration,” Brown said. “I think it’s unlikely that he will change his mind and find that the killing of another does not deserve a prison sentence.”

No hearing on the motion has been set.

Contact Summers at 242-3642 or ksummers@floridatoday.com. Billy Lane is serving time at the Avon Park Work Camp after pleading no contest earlier this year to one count of vehicular homi­cide.

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