CHARDON —
A teenager who pleaded guilty in a deadly school shooting rampage faces up to life in prison at his sentencing today.
Victims of 18-year-old T.J. Lane and relatives of the murdered victims will have a chance to address the sentencing judge in Chardon on his guilty plea to killing three students and wounding three more.
The shootings occurred 13 months ago at Chardon High School. Lane was in the school cafeteria waiting for a bus to his alternative school.
No motive has been detailed.
The hearing before Geauga County Common Pleas Judge David Fuhry will offer the families their first public chance to describe the pain Lane inflicted on their loved ones and their lives.
According to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer (bit.ly/XSbq9a), it was unclear whether Lane would address the judge or provide an explanation of why he fired the shots. His attorneys said earlier that Lane didn’t want to present any mitigating factors in his favor, including a troubled family life.
Lane faces life in prison. Under Ohio law, the earliest release possible will be in 26 years. Fuhry will decide when -- and if -- Lane would be eligible for release from prison.
“I feel he should be locked up for the rest of his life,” Domenick Iammarino, grandfather of slain victim Daniel Parmertor told the newspaper. “It was a despicable, premeditated act. He should breathe his last breath in prison.”
On the day of the plea, Bob Parmertor, father of Danny Parmertor, 16, who was killed, told The Associated Press that he felt justice would be done if Lane “will never see daylight again” outside prison.
Lane pleaded guilty Feb. 26 to three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault.
He admitted that he fired the .22-caliber weapon, which belonged to an uncle, 10 times. He killed Daniel, 16; Demetrius Hewlin, 16; and Russell King Jr., 17.
Geauga County Prosecutor James Flaiz said the families are pushing for Lane to receive a sentence of life in prison without parole, the maximum sentence possible.
The families of the slain boys have regularly attended court sessions. Family members have written sealed victim impact statements to Fuhry, expressing the impact of the murders.
Lane cannot face the death penalty. He was 17 at the time of the shooting, and ineligible for the death penalty.
There was no immediate comment Sunday from Lane’s defense team. An email message was sent to one of his attorneys.
Local News
Related Photos
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T. J. Lane listens during court proceedings in Geauga County Common Pleas Court Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, in Chardon, Ohio. Lane, charged with killing three students at an Ohio high school, pleaded guilty Tuesday to three counts of aggravated murder and other charges. Lane, now 18, also pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted aggravated murder and a single count of felonious assault. Prosecutors agreed to drop the death-penalty specifications from the aggravated murder counts.(AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Marvin Fong, Pool)
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