The Gwinnett County teen convicted of murder last month in the death of a Papa John's pizza driver will likely be sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, attorneys on both sides of the case told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday.
Reginald Lofton was 14 years old on March 1, when authorities believe he and a friend lured 28-year-old delivery man Shane Varnadore to the Wesley Herrington Apartments near Lawrenceville. Varnadore believed he was making a routine delivery but was shot and killed instead.
During Lofton's trial last month, the prosecution readily admitted it didn't know if he or fellow suspect Jermaine Young pulled the trigger but argued that, under Georgia's party to a crime laws, it didn't matter. The jury agreed, and found Lofton guilty of armed robbery, aggravated assault and two counts of felony murder.
MORE: Teen found guilty of felony murder in Gwinnett pizza driver's killing
MORE: Fiery closing arguments delivered in teen's pizza driver murder trial
MORE: Teen suspect in pizza driver murder: 'I don't know why he shot' him
MORE: Attorney: Teen charged in Gwinnett pizza driver's murder 'stupid,' but not guilty
Lofton is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 15. A murder conviction in Georgia mandates a life sentence but, in most cases, leaves the decision of whether or not to include the possibility of parole up to the presiding judge.
That doesn't appear to be the situation with Lofton.
Gwinnett County Assistant District Attorney Sabrina Nizam, who prosecuted the case, said Tuesday that she will recommend the possibility of parole to Judge Randy Rich. She called it "the only option that [the] state has," and recent case law suggests she's correct.
In a case from this year, Montgomery v. Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that life sentences without parole should not be applied to juveniles convicted of murder. A similar case in Georgia's Supreme Court ruled that such sentences constitute "cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution."
Lofton moved to Gwinnett County last year from the crime-ridden streets of Chicago. He had his fair share of run-ins with the law there, and his defense attorney, Leanne Chancey, has characterized his life as a "difficult" one.
Lofton was assigned to his sister in Gwinnett after his mother died and his father was ruled unfit to care for him, Chancey said after the teen's trial. He once witnessed his brother being shot and, even at 14 years old, had had a handful of friends killed.
The attorney said Tuesday she'd been prepared to present testimony regarding Lofton's tough upbringing during sentencing, in hopes it would sway the judge to grant him the possibility of parole — and rehabilitation.
Given the prosecution's apparent stance, that likely won't be necessary.
