A teenager accused of shooting a father in the leg during a home invasion is hoping others learn from his mistakes.
Brandon Smith had no excuses and took full responsibility for his actions in the robbery, shooting and attack on an Atlanta family.
He spoke exclusively with Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne from jail.
"Let my lesson learned be their lesson learned. Look at my situation and just sit back and think, what if I keep using drugs? What if I keep running the streets? What if I keep doing the same actions that I am doing? Would I end up like Brandon Smith," Smith told Winne.
Smith said he's speaking out to keep others from running the road he's run.
"I first carried a gun when I was 13 years old," Smith told Winne. "I first started running the streets when I was like 12, 13."
Smith said those events lead him to shoot Michael Lash in the legs in August, during a violent home invasion.
Lash tried to block the door to the house where his wife and baby were.
Smith was sentenced to a life plus 25 years in prison Thursday.
"Maybe it's a good outcome to this," Smith told Winne.
"How so?" Winne asked.
"Maybe its just been God's plan," Smith said.
"Think maybe otherwise you'd wind up dead in the street?" Winne asked maybe so.
He indicated he went as far as eighth grade in school he started smoking marijuana at 11 and using cocaine at 14.
"You get high just about every day?" Winne asked Smith.
"Just about every day," Smith said.
Smith said he was high on coke and Percocet when he randomly picked the Lashes' house -- for what, he's not even sure
"You saw that family in court, right, the victims?" Winne asked Smith.
"Yes sir," Smith replied. "I was really holding back my tears. Trying to be strong for myself."
Lawyer Sara Becker said after the judge sentenced Smith but before he sentenced his brother Quindarious Slade and two co-defendants to lesser terms, Smith spoke to the brother
"When you all get out, be better than me, don't be like me," Smith said was his advice.
The judge gave Tequan Sutton, Veshawn Smith and Quindaris Slade 18 years in prison. They will be eligible for parole after 10 years.
All four were charged as adults.
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