35 Years in Prison For Birmingham Man on Second Conviction Following Deadly Home Invasion
Birmingham, Alabama
In a shocking turn of events, a Birmingham man has been handed a 35-year sentence following his second conviction in an alarmingly brutal home invasion that resulted in the shooting death of another man over four years ago.
Details of the Conviction
Frank Steele, a 24-year-old Birmingham local, was previously given a life in prison without parole sentence for the 2019 killing of 21-year-old, Benjamin Gonzalez. However, Jefferson County Circuit Judge, Stephen Wallace granted a retrial after declaring juror misconduct on the back of evidence presented by Steele’s defense team. The misconduct pertains to jurors using Google to try to gauge the distance between locations that had come up during the trial, an act prohibited in the courtroom.
Following the retrial, Steele was again convicted, but with a reduced charge of felony murder. The Judge in his sentencing order also recommended mental health and substance abuse treatment for the convict. Steele was taken into custody within days of the shooting back in October 2019. Prosecutors did not object to the defense claim and the subsequent retrial.
The Incident
The unfortunate incident occurred in the evening of Sunday, Oct. 19, 2019. Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 1800 block of Martinique Drive N.E after neighbors reported shots fired. When the law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, they found Gonzalez dead, thus sparking the subsequent investigation leading to the capture and trial of Frank Steele.
The Legal Teams
The case was argued by Deputy District Attorneys Warren Brooks and Nick Taggart representing the state, while Frank Steele’s defense team consisted of Adam Danneman, Paul McDaniel, and Madeline Hillsmith.
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Procedure
The 35-year sentence is handed down according to Alabama state law and takes into account the defendant’s prior criminal history, the severity of the crime, and other pertinent factors in criminal sentencing.
More Information
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Author: STAFF HERE BIRMINGHAM WRITER
The BIRMINGHAM STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREBirmingham.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Birmingham, Jefferson County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Sidewalk Film Festival, Sloss Music & Arts Festival, Magic City Classic, and civil rights commemorations. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Birmingham Business Alliance and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, plus leading businesses in healthcare, finance, and manufacturing that power the local economy such as UAB Medicine, Regions Bank, and Encompass Health. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREHuntsville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Alabama's dynamic landscape.
