[2] In January 2001, when Tate was 13, he was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1999 battering death of six-year-old Tiffany Eunick in Broward County, Florida imitating professional wrestling moves.

While the children were downstairs playing while watching a professional wrestling program WWF SmackDown!, Tate's mother called to them to be quiet.

He was the youngest person in modern US history to be sentenced to life imprisonment,[2] bringing broad criticism on the treatment of juvenile offenders in the justice system of the state of Florida.

In January 2004, a state appeals court overturned his conviction on the basis that his mental competency had not been evaluated before trial.

The lawyer for Lionel Tate, James Lewis was sued by the World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. alleging that the attorney and others have conspired to damage the WWF's image.

[22] Tate threatened Domino's Pizza deliveryman Walter Ernest Gallardo with a handgun outside a friend's apartment after phoning in an order.

[23] Gallardo called 911 upon reaching the Domino's store and returned to identify Tate, the sheriff's office said in a statement, but no gun was recovered.

He was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea for robbery but was finally sentenced to 30 years in prison on May 18, 2006, for violating probation.