Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Blackburn’s brother sentenced to 5 years’ probation for aiding in escape

The brother of a Las Vegas robbery suspect who killed himself, his wife and children during a police standoff last summer was given five years' probation Friday for aiding his escape.

U.S. District Judge Johnnie Rawlinson also ordered Terry Blackburn to serve six months in a halfway house and devote 300 hours to teaching martial arts to underprivileged children who are at risk for criminal activity.

Terry Blackburn, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the escape of Timothy Blackburn on Aug. 11, 1999.

Timothy Blackburn was awaiting trial in the December 1998 robbery of an ATM bank repository when he escaped from the North Las Vegas Detention Center. Terry Blackburn confessed to leaving his driver's license in his mailbox on the morning of the escape after his brother called and asked him to.

Three weeks later, Timothy Blackburn killed himself and his family during a standoff with police at a Las Vegas motel.

Terry Blackburn's attorney William Tidwell argued for probation for his client, saying that Timothy Blackburn never told Terry that he was going to escape, and that while Terry probably knew that was what Timothy intended, he never thought he would be able to carry it out.

Moreover, Tidwell said Terry Blackburn volunteered the information about the driver's license when he was pulled over by police officers who were looking for Timothy Blackburn.

Although Terry Blackburn has an assault conviction on his record from 1993, Tidwell argued that his client is now devoted to living the life of a martial arts expert -- one that stresses spirituality, responsibility and good decision-making.

"I don't think Terry is going to go out and commit another crime. We don't need to be protecting society from him," Tidwell said. "What we're looking for is just desserts."

In arguing for at least some time in jail or prison, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Schiess said Terry Blackburn didn't say anything about the driver's license until after police told him that his name would join his brother's in the National Crime Information Computer, thus making it likely that police would constantly be pulling him over with their weapons drawn until they found his brother.

Moreover, Terry Blackburn knew the sort of person his brother was and still helped him, Schiess said.

"When he helped the defendant escape, he knew he was basically uncaging a wild animal into the city streets," Schiess said.

To Terry Blackburn's credit, Schiess said he has always found him to be polite, helpful and remorseful.

It is for that reason, Schiess said, that he wouldn't object to a split sentence of probation and a halfway house.

In addressing Rawlinson, Terry Blackburn apologized for his actions and apologized to his mother and wife for the stress he placed them under.

"Out of love for my brother I did what I did," Terry Blackburn said.

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