Sam Manzie

September 26, 1997

Sam Manzie, a 15-year-old boy at the time, met an 11 year-old boy from the neighborhood on this date when the younger boy called at Sam's house to sell candy to raise funds for his school. Sam lured him into the house, sexually assaulted him and then killed him. Sam was arrested and sentenced to seventy years in jail. Sam was later called to testify against 43 year-old Stephen Simmons, a man he was having a sexual relationship with at the time he killed the younger boy. Manzie had initially cooperated with the police to sting Simmons, but later destroyed police recording equipment, called Simmons "a positive adult role model who encouraged me to stay in school, get counseling, and mend my relationship with my parents" and preferred to be held in contempt by the court rather than testify against Simmons. At Simmons' sentencing, the now 17-year-old Manzie said, "Your honor, in sentencing Mr. Simmons, please keep in mind that he never was violent toward me. Your honor, please keep in mind that he never forced me to do what I didn't want to do. Your honor, please keep in mind that I never regretted the relationship." Simmons was given the maximum possible sentence.