S.C. school shooter asks for mercy from life sentence; teacher, principal want him to stay in prison

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A school shooter serving a life sentence without parole for killing a first grader on a South Carolina playground when he was 14 is asking a judge to lessen his sentence so he can eventually get out of prison.

A lawyer for now-21-year-old Jesse Osborne says that would give Osborne some hope of freedom in his 50s or 60s and a reason to rehabilitate himself.

But five witnesses on Monday asked the judge to keep the life sentence for the 2016 shooting at Townville Elementary.

They included the teacher whose class was having recess, the school principal and the father of the student celebrating his birthday on the playground when the shooting started.