re: UVA shooting suspect Christopher Darnell Jones' parents speak out ahead of arraignment

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Could be the attorney told his father to start laying groundwork to save the son's life? He'll get the needle in Virginia unless some sort of diminished capacity is introduced at trial. If there are no texts, all we have is the fathers interpretation of an oral conversation.

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Virginia eliminated the death penalty either earlier this year or sometime last year. I believe last year pre Youngkin.

He’s being charged with 3 counts of 2nd degree murder so I’m not sure he’ll even get life in jail.

ETA:

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If convicted of second-degree murder, you can be sentenced to 5 to 40 years in prison. You may also be ordered to pay a fine of up to $100,000. In addition, you will have a permanent criminal record and the stigma of being a felon. Being labeled a felon can make it much more difficult for you to find a job, housing, and much more for the rest of your life.

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He’s being tried in albemarle county (which must handle Charlottesville’s criminal proceedings even though they are separate entities with separate local governments.) which is a progressive stronghold in the state. I’d bet folding money his sentence lands much closer to the 5 year side per count than the 40 side.