Convicted school shooter Jesse Osborne, presently serving a life sentence without parole, has appealed for a sentence review, sparking speculation about his potential release.
Osborne was 14 years old when he murdered his father and subsequently opened fire at Townville Elementary School in South Carolina, killing three students and a teacher.
Osborne’s attorney, Frank Eppes, argued that the trial judge failed to sufficiently consider a psychological report. This report suggested that Osborne’s violent behavior resulted from prior abuse, hinting at his potential for rehabilitation.
Osborne, now 21, expressed remorse for his actions and vowed to seek self-improvement in prison. He extended apologies to the family of one of his victims and to all affected by his actions on that tragic day.
However, opposition against Osborne’s potential release was vehement during the hearing at the Anderson County Courthouse. Key stakeholders, including a teacher, a wounded student’s parent, the principal, and the superintendent, expressed their disapproval. Principal Denise Fredericks, despite acknowledging Osborne’s potential for reform, advocated for his continued detention due to the gravity of his crimes.
Osborne, who pleaded guilty to all charges, is serving two life sentences. His crimes began with the murder of his father before the school shooting. On the incident day, he drove his truck into the school fence and attacked a first-grade class, causing the death of Jacob Hall and injuring two other students and a teacher.
Osborne’s defense contended that his brain was still developing during his teen years. They provided a psychologist’s report contesting the portrayal of Osborne as a dangerous, remorseless offender. Eppes proposed a revised sentence of at least 30 years for the murders, additional years for attempted murder charges, and lifetime GPS tracking if released.
The presiding judge requested a detailed report from the defense’s expert and provided prosecutors with ten days to respond.
