Mother of 6-year-old boy in Virginia who shot teacher pleads guilty to federal charges

Mother of 6-year-old boy in Virginia who shot teacher pleads guilty to federal charges

Mother of 6-year-old boy in Virginia who shot teacher pleads guilty to federal charges

The mom of a 6-year-old Virginia boy who shot and wounded his elementary college instructor pleaded responsible on Monday to federal gun costs in a cope with prosecutors, in keeping with court docket paperwork and her lawyer.

Deja Taylor, whose son shot instructor Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News in January, pleaded responsible in federal court docket to being a consumer of marijuana whereas in possession of a firearm. While many states have legalized marijuana, it stays unlawful below federal regulation.

Taylor additionally pleaded responsible to mendacity about her marijuana use in the course of the background examine required to acquire the 9mm semiautomatic pistol that her son used to shoot the instructor.

Taylor’s attorneys have beforehand mentioned that it was a thriller how the boy bought maintain of the gun. Prosecutors mentioned in court docket paperwork that no gun locks or security packing containers had been present in regulation enforcement searches of her residences.

As a part of the plea deal, prosecutors are looking for a most of two years in jail for Taylor, her legal professional Gene Rossi mentioned by telephone. He hopes the choose will give her probation.

Taylor — who nonetheless faces separate costs in state court docket associated to the taking pictures — will probably be sentenced on Oct. 18. Virginia prosecutors charged her in April with felony baby neglect and with the misdemeanor of recklessly leaving a loaded weapon in order to hazard a baby.

“This case is a tragedy,” Rossi mentioned. “It’s a perfect storm of horrible consequences.”

According to police, the boy had taken the handgun from residence, positioned it in his backpack and eliminated it whereas Zwerner, 25, was instructing class, firing a single shot by means of her hand and into her chest.

Another college staffer rushed into the classroom and restrained the boy whereas Zwerner ushered the remainder of the scholars from the classroom to security, police mentioned.

Zwerner’s lawyer, who filed a $40 million lawsuit towards college directors on her consumer’s behalf, has mentioned that Richneck Elementary officers had been warned 3 times the day of the taking pictures that the boy was armed.

Virginia prosecutors didn’t cost the boy. Reuters

Source: www.gmanetwork.com