Out of curiosity, what were the other two strikes? (Not that anything could possibly justify this.)
From the article:
"Bryant was convicted in 1979 for attempted armed robbery, in 1987 for possession of stolen things, attempted forgery of a check worth $150 in 1989 and for simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling in 1992, all before his 1997 arrest for the failed attempt at stealing the hedge clippers."
This conviction was apparently for attempted burglary. So maybe he broke into someone's house to steal them? Or maybe he went in a employees only section of a store? Would love to know the facts behind it.
Still, obviously nothing of the sort can justify the sentence he received, even with his record