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Juvenile Sentenced to 28 Years for Murder of Teacher
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida, July 27 (News Agencies) - A Florida judge on Friday sentenced 14-year-old Nathaniel Brazill to 28 years in jail for the shooting death of his teacher, ending a high-profile trial that has called into question the practice of trying minors as adults.
Brazill's father, Nathaniel Brazill Sr., immediately said he would appeal the decision.
"We will appeal," Brazill Sr. told reporters outside the courthouse. "We'll live with it, but it's not over."
Brazill shot 35-year-old Barry Grunow in the head when the Lake Worth Middle School language arts teacher refused to allow Brazill, who had returned after a suspension, to talk to a girl in his class, Court TV reported.
The shooting occurred on May 26, 2000, the last day of classes in the 1999-2000 school year at Lake Worth, CNN said. Brazill's conviction of second-degree murder by a Palm Beach County jury came almost exactly a year later, on May 16th of this year.
Brazill was sentenced as an adult even though he was 13 when he shot Grunow. During the trial, he admitted to killing Grunow, but said the gun had gone off by accident.
His mother, Polly Powell, said she respected Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Richard Wennet's decision, but also vowed to contest the decision.
"I know he searched himself. It was fair, but still for my son I have to fight on," she told reporters, adding that she was to see her son later Friday.
"And I know now my son will be coming home one day."
On May 16th, the jury of nine women and three men found Brazill guilty of second-degree, or non-premeditated, murder and aggravated assault with a firearm, for shooting and killing Grunow in May 2000.
Under sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder, Brazill faced 25 years to life in prison.
Although Brazill's defense attempted to argue that the child was too young to face the 25-year sentence, a judge ruled last month that Florida's gun use law allows for Brazill to be sentenced as an adult, CNN said.
The prosecution had initially sought a first-degree murder conviction, which carries a life sentence without possibility of parole.
The defense, meanwhile, had hoped for a manslaughter conviction, which would have put Brazill behind bars for a maximum of 15 years.
Aside from his 28-year sentence, Brazill will also have to serve two years under house arrest and five years of probation after his incarceration, taking an anger management course as well, the Washington Post reported.
Brazill will also be serving a concurrent five-year sentence for aggravated assault for pointing his gun at another teacher, John James, after shooting Grunow, the Post said.
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