Vincent Zamora, 17, will spend 40 years in prison β more than double his lifetime so far β for the shooting that killed year-old Nasier Graham and injured another teen. In April, Zamora pleaded guilty to three felony charges β second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder β as well as three sentence enhancers of crimes of violence with the use of a weapon. His plea agreement stipulated that he would be charged as an adult.
Zamora is the second person to face sentencing for the shooting. One of the three teens arrested in this case, who was never identified, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a class 4 felony, with a sentence enhancer of being an aggravated juvenile offender and was sentenced last June to four years in the Department of Youth Services. The other teen, who also has not been officially identified, finished a three-day transfer hearing Wednesday. McDonald, who is also overseeing that case, is expected to make a ruling on if the year-old will be tried as an adult or a juvenile at a later date.
He is scheduled to return at 4 p. July About 20 people made emotional statements on behalf of the two victims as well as Zamora, with the vast majority growing emotional as they talked, some taking a few moments to collect themselves while others were wracked with sobs as they spoke. Gabriel Ballesteros, the then year-old victim who was shot, said the incident has significantly impacted his life through his ability to be present and do schoolwork and simply live day to day; previous family members said he has undergone several surgeries to repair his arm and has had to relearn how to use it.
He also said Graham had mentored him when they played football together and he was devastated to learn what happened that night.
She said their family always hugs each other and says to be safe before they leave, something she did to Graham that very night. When Axmacher finished speaking, Brooks fell over the two clear boxes of dirtied work boots, sobbing before briefly leaving the courtroom where she could be heard crying in the hallway.
