After shooting a man he'd known for more than 20 years because the man's uncle wouldn't pay for fake drugs -- and the 13 other criminal convictions on his rap sheet -- Taurus Bryant received a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Back in November 2009, Bryant tried to sell some drugs to his girlfriend's uncle, but he didn't think the drugs were real, so he didn't pay for them.
That didn't turn out too well.
According to an arrest report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Bryant went back to their Lake Park house -- where his girlfriend's uncle and cousin were both hanging out with their girlfriends.
His girlfriend's cousin opened the door for Bryant, because he'd known him for more than 20 years.
Bryant yelled at his girlfriend's uncle, "Fuck nigga, where's my fucking money?" and started shooting into the house, police state.
He didn't end up shooting his girlfriend's uncle but did shoot her cousin -- twice.
The cops showed up and asked what happened. Bryant's girlfriend was at their house about half an hour before the shooting and apparently had an argument over the phone with him.
According to police, the girl's uncle said he "had a few harsh words with Ta[u]rus because he didn't approve of the manner in which he was speaking with his niece."
The cops say the man believed his harsh words with Taurus "infuriated" him and led to the shooting.
The Palm Beach State Attorney's Office maintains that the shooting was over a drug deal gone wrong.
Regardless, the girl's cousin was shot twice, "which left him permanently disabled," according to the State Attorney's Office.
Bryant was found guilty by a jury in late September of aggravated battery with a firearm and shooting into a building.
Given Bryant's previous convictions -- which include carrying a concealed weapon and carrying a pistol without a license in 1997; aggravated battery with a firearm in 1999; possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana in 2004; felon in possession of a firearm, fleeing and eluding, and possession of cocaine in 2006; and habitual driving with a suspended license and fleeing or attempting to elude, two counts of resisting with violence, and leaving the scene of a crash involving injury in 2008 -- he's at the point where he's eligible for life in prison.
That's what Bryant received, in addition to 15 extra years for the shooting-into-a-building charge.
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