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Rocori shooter gets consecutive sentences: (Log in info)

From the article…

Rocori High School shooter Jason McLaughlin was sentenced in St. Cloud today to a life sentence and a 12-year prison term for killing two classmates in September 2003.

McLaughlin, 17, must serve at least 30 years of the life sentence he received for the first-degree murder of Seth Bartell, 14. He also must serve at least eight years of the 12-year sentence for the second-degree murder of Aaron Rollins, 17.

38 years minimum. For those of you who think that’s too harsh for a 17-year-old, just remember, Seth Bartell and Aaron Rollins were given death sentences, and they committed no crime.

Mother of Rocori victim calls for long prison term :

The families of John Jason McLaughlin’s victims, Seth Bartell and Aaron Rollins, addressed McLaughlin today. Here are some quotes from the article…

Asked what he would do differently if he could relive Sept. 24, 2003, Rocori High School gunman John Jason McLaughlin said recently he’d simply get closer to one victim before he shot him.

But I guess he still would have shot him?

Kim Bartell’s voice rose in anger as she referred to the statement McLaughlin gave to corrections officials after his conviction in July in the deaths of her son, Seth Bartell, 14, and Aaron Rollins, 17.

McLaughlin has no remorse for what he did, she said. McLaughlin, she added “would have carried it out better, meaning to me he would have come out better. Not Aaron. Not Seth.”

And Aaron Rollin’s family…

Aaron Rollins’s mother, sister, and father also took the stand. At one point, Aaron’s father, Tom, held up a large family portrait taken before Aaron died.

“Jason handed us all a life sentence without parole, and he should get the same,” said Sherry Rollins, Aaron’s mother.

And some info about the sentencing…

At issue is whether McLaughlin will serve his sentences consecutively or concurrently, and whether Kirk will give him a harsher sentence for the second-degree conviction in Rollins’s death.

McLaughlin already faces life in prison on the first-degree conviction for Bartell’s death, though he can be considered for parole in 30 years.

Sentencing guidelines call for 12 1/2 years for the second-degree murder conviction.

Let’s hope the word of the day is consecutive.

Victims’ families to have their say:

John Jason McLaughlin, the kid who shot and killed Seth Bartell and Aaron Rollins at Rocori High in Minnesota, is scheduled to be sentenced later today.

Under Minnesota law, family members of the victims have the right to address McLaughlin to describe the emotional, social or economic harm they’ve suffered.

Tom Rollins, his wife Sherry, and his daughter Rachel plan to address McLaughlin, as does Seth Bartell’s mother Kim. I’ll have news on the sentencing as soon as I can, but you may want to keep your eye on this thread as someone may post the sentence here.

Extended Sentence Sought For McLaughlin:

Prosecutors in the case of the Rocori High School shooter John Jason McLaughlin have requested that a judge sentence McLaughlin to two consecutive sentences.

If you remember, McLaughlin was found guilty of shooting and killing Seth Bartell and Aaron Rollins at Rocori High School in Minnesota. If the judge approves the request, McLaughlin could be looking at more than 40 years. Only 40? I thought he was looking at a life sentence.

Anyway, sentencing is still scheduled for August 30th.