Two Men Go to Prison for Bad Crimes

May 12, 2026, 13:12
USOther

Introduction

Courts in Michigan and Colorado sent two men to prison for hurting other people.

Main Body

In Michigan, James Shirah is 24 years old. He hit a man with a car. The man died. James will stay in prison for at least 30 years. His wife also broke the law and will go to court in May. In Colorado, Jimmy Ray Smith II is 41 years old. He took a person and hurt them for 14 hours. He used fire and a toy gun. A neighbor helped the victim escape. Jimmy Ray will stay in prison for 32 years. Other people helped him. The police caught them too. Some are in prison and one man is waiting for his trial.

Conclusion

The judges gave these men long prison sentences because their crimes were very bad.

Learning

πŸ•’ Talking About the Past

In the story, we see words that describe things that already happened. To move to A2, you need to recognize these "finished" actions.

The Pattern: Adding -ed When we talk about the past, we often add -ed to the end of the word:

  • Help β†’\rightarrow Helped
  • Use β†’\rightarrow Used

The 'Rule Breakers' (Irregular) Some words change completely. You must memorize these because they don't follow the -ed rule:

  • Go β†’\rightarrow Went
  • Hit β†’\rightarrow Hit (Stays the same!)
  • Take β†’\rightarrow Took

Quick Logic Check

  • Present: James is 24. (Now)
  • Past: James hit a man. (Finished)
  • Future: James will stay in prison. (Not yet)

Vocabulary Learning

prison (n.)
A place where people are kept as punishment for crimes.
Example:After the trial, he was sent to prison for 30 years.
court (n.)
A place where judges decide legal cases.
Example:She will go to court next month.
law (n.)
Rules that must be followed by everyone.
Example:Breaking the law can lead to jail time.
judge (n.)
A person who decides cases in a court.
Example:The judge gave a long sentence to the criminals.
sentence (n.)
A punishment decided by a judge.
Example:The sentence was 32 years in prison.
victim (n.)
A person harmed in a crime.
Example:The victim escaped with the help of a neighbor.
escape (v.)
To get away from danger or confinement.
Example:The victim tried to escape from the house.
police (n.)
People who enforce the law.
Example:The police caught the criminals.
car (n.)
A vehicle that runs on roads.
Example:He hit a man with a car.
hit (v.)
To strike someone or something.
Example:He hit a man with a car.
dead (adj.)
No longer alive.
Example:The man died after the accident.
man (n.)
An adult male.
Example:The man was 24 years old.
woman (n.)
An adult female.
Example:His wife is a woman.
fire (n.)
Burning material.
Example:He used fire to scare the victim.
gun (n.)
A weapon that shoots bullets.
Example:He had a toy gun.
help (v.)
To give assistance.
Example:The neighbor helped the victim escape.
stay (v.)
To remain in a place.
Example:He will stay in prison for 30 years.
bad (adj.)
Not good; harmful.
Example:The crimes were very bad.
people (n.)
Human beings.
Example:Other people helped him.
neighbor (n.)
A person living next to you.
Example:A neighbor helped the victim.