The 15 year old sophomore that wrote, "First day of school, last day of my life", before trying to gun down a student with Downs Syndrome, has pleaded guilty to the adult charge of attempted first degree murder, as reported by the Huffington Post.
Judge Robert Cahill Jr. accepted R.G.'s plea – that included 29 offenses in total – the day the teen's trial was about to begin.
R.G., 15 years old, will face a maximum 40-year prison sentence.
On the first day of classes at Perry Hall High School R.G. shot D.B., 17, in the back. D.B. has been forced to recuperate for two months away from school. His healing is almost complete but he suffers with one or two lingering nightmares a week.
Nine counts of attempted first-degree murder are in regards to the alleged victims that sat around a lunchroom table with the intended victim, and the school employees that have been credited for getting the shotgun away from R.G.
R.G., with his long hair hiding most of his facial expressions, responded to the judge's queries with mostly one-word answers. After agreeing to willingly plead guilty his mother, and other family supporters, openly shed tears.
D.B.'s family was not in attendance. In a telephone interview with reporters, his father, M.B., said he was pleased that R.G. had made a plea deal and "At least the admission of guilt is finally there…It's good to know that he is going to pay for his crime."
George Psoras Jr., R.G.'s defense attorney, stated that his client only carried the shotgun to school to intimidate bullies. Psoras claims that R.G. had no intension of using the gun. Psoras also moved that the case be heard in juvenile court – the judge rejected the motion.
Psoras told reporters that his client made the plea deal to help D.B.'s family with closure and because he "wanted the public to begin healing from his actions."
In arguing to his client's young age and his understanding of the ramifications of his actions Psoras said, "He thought like a 15-year-old, a very immature 15-year-old."
However, Baltimore County Assistant State's Attorney John Cox disagreed with Psoras' assessment of his client's actions. Cox commented, "It's clear from all the evidence he thought about this a long time, and that he made the decision he was going to cause misery on others before taking his own life."
According to Assistant State's Attorney Danielle Williams, R.G. told a police officer, "Can I get the death penalty? Because I wanted to kill him."
It was just before 6:30 a.m. on August 27, before R.G. left for school, that he wrote these words on his Facebook page: "First day of school, last day of my life" along with references to murder-suicide and criminal Charles Manson.
If you have been charged with a crime you must contact a criminal defense attorney to best argue your case and arrange any plea deals. Don't delay the time needed to begin mounting your defense.
