by Ayvaunn Penn, Your Black World
The economy is making people do all kinds of crazy things. But even in a declining economy, there are still consequences for poor choices — even if your home has been foreclosed on and your bank account is darn near empty. The Grio reports that “Connie Murray Dumas, 40, will be in prison until 2029 after she was found guilty of armed robbery and possession of a pistol during a violent crime.”
Dumas “won” herself a grand total of $94 when she robbed a One Stop convenience store in Rock Hill South Carolina. According to reports from NBC News, Dumas was captured by authorities shortly after the robbery due to a witness description. She was also caught on film by a store security camera aiming what appeared to be a gun at the clerk while demanding money.
The Grio reports that “Dumas has signed a confession saying she robbed the store due to financial troubles, citing her foreclosed home, however later recanted that statement. In trial, she also said that she did not use a gun and what was seen was actually her car keys and cell phone.”
Dumas will not have any opportunity for parole.
Ayvaunn Penn is the founder of Your Black Poets and an award winning writer completing her degree in English and philosophy. To inquire about her freelance editing services, click here. To like Ayvaunn on Facebook, click here.
Black Women Today 
Its wasnt Armed Robbery if she had her cell phone and keys! SMDH
She wasn’t thinking, what a waste…
I Said the same thing..what a Waste…Good Looking to…
The law is specific here…Armed robbery carries a tougher penalty than shop lifting, or breaking in and stealing. I know times are hard and they are! But making a life or death decision like this was not hers to make … She took advantage of the store clerk and the law enforcement agencies who had to track her down. She has a gun … apprehend with caution. Look at the dilemma she put everyone in by pretending to have a gun. Now the judge must look at this case the same way he looks at a legitimate armed robbery. She should have pulled her cell-phone out and pointed at the clerk and said give me all the money because I’ve got to pay this cell phone bill!
When the thought of gun or knife play is involved it took this crime to exponential levels. She could have thrown a brick through an empty window of a closed store … and in hard time she could have stolen food or merchandise and gotten a better deal from the judge with her story about being in poverty.
I’ve got to pay this cell phone bill! LOL!
If this was her first offense, I feel the judge could have been a bit more leaniant. She made a mistake that she’ll pay for for the rest of her life. They have given her maybe three years and probatiion. I think the message would have been clear and that she could come out and still be a productive citizen. But 18 years will only serve to instituionalize her and make her bitter. There are certain things in life that scare us and cause us to do things that we would’nt normally do under other circumstanses. I believe she felt she was in a crisis and had no other way out. She’s already 40 with nothing on her record, she panic and more than anything put herself at risk by not being armed. She could have been eaisily shot and killed not only by police but by the store keeper as well. 18 years for a $94 robbery, when killers are getting off with 5 to 10 and the possibility of parole. What a system we have. I’m not condoning what she did, but she don’t deserve that.
I felt the same way as you do in your discussion: she doesn’t deserve 18 years without the possibility of parole. What she did was not right in the eyes of the law or moral but neither is it right to give a person undue punishment. This is not justice when the punishment does not fit the crime. There are people that have killed their children (I live in Florida) that don’t get this type of punishment. They could have given her probation, required her to get counseling and possibly assistance. It is a horrible situation to be destitute, homeless and hungry. Humanity needs to help the people that are hurting instead of criticizing and then maybe it won’t get to the point where a woman, like Ms. Dumas, enters a store and robs it. God blesses us to be a blessing to others.
I totally agree. Murderers have received less time with parole. The sister made a bad decision, but the sentence is draconian. In terms of desperation, we haven’t seen nothing yet.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. THE PUNISHMENT TO HARSH
I wonder if she would have received as harsh of a punishment if she were not a black woman. Stealing is wrong, but how does it serve anyone involved in having her in prison for 18 years at the expense of the state and the taxpayers for $94?
I don’t know what it’s going to take before black people rise up against this corrupt justice system. Terrorist around the world blow up building for less than what black people tolerate in the American criminal justice system. Her race was clearly the main factor in this type of harsh sentence. Like others on here commenting I don’t condone what she did and she should be punished. But IMO this judge is committing a racist hate crime with this obscene 18 year sentence. There is no way in hell a white person with no previous criminal record would have gotten this type of sentence. When black people complain about our racist corrupt justice system it falls on deaf ears. What is it going to take??? For us to take a page out of Taliban’s book and learn how to fly planes into buildings to get white peoples attention about this issue?
Poor thing may God have mercy on us ALL!