In a dramatic courthouse scene, mother Deja Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison by Judge Chris Papil for child neglect after her six-year-old son brought a gun to Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia and shot his teacher. The Commonwealth of Virginia had suggested a significantly lighter sentence of only six months, which has been met with a public outcry.
Deja Taylor's attorney, James Ellenson, stated the decision caught them off guard. The charge was significantly more serious that the federal charges to which Taylor had pleaded guilty. These charges included unlawful possession, unlawful use of a controlled substance while possessing a firearm, and making a false statement while purchasing a firearm.
