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Florida tourist murderer has life sentence reduced | Florida tourist murderer has life sentence reduced |
(34 minutes later) | |
A man who murdered a British tourist in Florida 20 years ago has had his life sentence reduced after it was ruled unconstitutional. | A man who murdered a British tourist in Florida 20 years ago has had his life sentence reduced after it was ruled unconstitutional. |
Gary Colley, from West Yorkshire, was shot dead in a robbery near Tallahassee on 14 September 1993, while his partner Margaret Jagger survived. | Gary Colley, from West Yorkshire, was shot dead in a robbery near Tallahassee on 14 September 1993, while his partner Margaret Jagger survived. |
Aundra Akins, who was 14 at the time, was jailed for 27 years for murder in a plea deal, and given a life sentence for the attempted murder of Ms Jagger. | |
That has now been reduced to 40 years. | That has now been reduced to 40 years. |
'Holiday from hell' | 'Holiday from hell' |
Ms Jagger and Mr Colley were shot by Akins as they rested in a lay-by in their hire car while on holiday. | |
Akins had gone out with three others looking for people to rob when they found the tourists. | |
He pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Mr Colley and was jailed for 27 years in 1997, which was the maximum sentence he could face at the time as he was a juvenile. | |
But he was given life for attempted murder after a trial. | |
That was overturned in November because of a Supreme Court Ruling that a life in prison sentence for a 14-year-old child was unconstitutional. | |
Ms Jagger spoke at the hearing at Jefferson County Court on Friday, saying Akins had turned it into the "holiday from hell". | Ms Jagger spoke at the hearing at Jefferson County Court on Friday, saying Akins had turned it into the "holiday from hell". |
'Turned a corner' | |
Akins told the court: "I'm not the kid I was once before, I'm a grown man, and I want to make a difference and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." | Akins told the court: "I'm not the kid I was once before, I'm a grown man, and I want to make a difference and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." |
A court official said the new sentence would run consecutively to his sentence for murder, but he could be released in about 12 years for good behaviour. | |
After Friday's hearing, Reuters reported that Ms Jagger said: "I personally think it's quite hard but, hopefully, Aundra has turned a corner and will be able to make some life, and will be able to come out in about 12 years with good behaviour. | |
"Hopefully then he can keep out of trouble in prison and have another life ahead of him, after prison." |
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