WWE Hall of Famer files appeal for lengthy prison sentence

A WWE Hall of Famer just began their lengthy period of incarceration, but they are already looking to have the sentence reduced.

Tammy "Sunny" Sytch has been in Volusia County jail for more than one year following a March 2022 fatal car crash, which killed 75-year-old Julian Lassiter. She was transferred to prison this week, and previous time served was credited to her sentence of 17.5 years. This was handed down last month after being convicted on one count of felony DUI Manslaughter, one count of felony Causing Death While Driving with Suspended License, two counts of misdemeanor DUI with Damage to Property, and four counts of misdemeanor DUI with Damage to Person.

Sunny's court-appointed lawyer previously told the court that they planned to file an appeal to get her sentence reduced. The appeal was filed in the District Court of Appeal in the Fifth District of Florida on December 20th, according to PWInsider. This was the same day the 51-year-old was shipped off from Volusia County jail to a Florida state prison.

The appeal was not an attempt to overturn Sunny's guilt in the case, but it was to overturn how the judge used Florida law in determining the sentence. The attorneys are appealing in an attempt to get the total amount of time sentenced reduced.

The lengthy sentence handed down to the ECW Original includes 8 years of probation. Sytch, who just celebrated her birthday on December 7, likely will not leave prison until she is at least 67-years old unless the appeal is successful.

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WWE legend speaks on Sunny's downfall

Tammy "Sunny" Sytch began her Hall of Fame career in 1992 right before her 20th birthday. She eventually became AOL's most-downloaded woman, and is known as WWE's Original Diva. The two-time WWE Slammy Award winner also had significant runs with ECW, SMW, and even WCW.

Former WWE Attitude Era head writer Vince Russo recently discussed Sunny's prison sentence on Sportskeeda's Wrestling Outlaws podcast. Russo gave potential insight into her downfall.

"I gotta tell you. Sunny got into professional wrestling at a very young age. And when you are that young, and you are on the road and you have money, and you are really still a kid, that's just a recipe for disaster, man. And she did get in young bro, she got in like 21-22 years old, and like I said man, out on the road, money, partying, drinking, drugs, a lot of stuff that goes with professional wrestling. Bro, some people can handle it, some people can't," he said. [5:26 onwards]

Sunny's near-two-decade prison sentence is not the end of her legal troubles. The 2011 WWE Hall of Famer has other pending legal issues outside of Florida, and she's facing multiple civil lawsuits related to the 2022 fatal crash.

What do you think of Sunny's career and how things have turned out? Should WWE remove her from the Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments section below!