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Doctor shares details on Freeman school shooter's upbringing, defense urges shorter prison sentence

The defense argues that Caleb Sharpe's immaturity at the time of the shooting makes him deserving of a lesser punishment.

SPOKANE, Wash. — On Thursday morning, attorneys gave the judge opening statements for the sentencing of the Freeman High School shooter. The defense says a 20-year sentence would be appropriate due to the shooter's age and immaturity at the time of the school shooting. However, the state is asking for a minimum sentence of 35 years.

In September 2017, then 15-year-old Caleb Sharpe opened fire on his Freeman High School classmates. He killed one student and seriously injured three freshman girls.

He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including first-degree murder and second-degree assault. The shooter's defense attorney says when determining his sentence, the judge must consider mitigating factors of youth, including his age and mental capacity.

They argue that because of the shooter's youthfulness at the time of the school shooting, he is deserving of a lesser punishment. The defense told the judge various experts and even the shooter's family will give testimony over the next several days. While the defense says Sharpe has the capacity for rehabilitation, the state argues against this.

On Thursday, the court heard from the doctor that evaluated Sharpe on behalf of the defense.

That psychiatrist says at the time of the shooting, Sharpe wasn't just immature, his mental age was more consistent with that of an 11 or 12-year-old with a learning disability.

Dr. Richard Alder said Sharpe had a handful of undiagnosed neurological and mental disorders and suffered perinatal asphyxia during birth, which is a lack of blood and airflow to an infant. He showed the court an MRI scan of the shooter's brain, which he says is abnormal compared to teens his age. 

This is really what the defense has focused in on as they ask the judge for a shorter prison sentence of 20 years. They believe the court should focus on the teen's rehabilitation and that these disorders played a role in the shooting.  

"He had a neurodevelopmental disorder that was undiagnosed," Alder said. "He had a learning disorder and he was not making good progress academically, which is not good for a young person. Most sanable is that he had access to guns even though adults knew that he had access to guns and it is the combination, not merely his youthfulness, it's the combination I think that taken all together that brought us here today."

Prosecutors are seeking a minimum 35-year sentence and argue that not every 15-year-old boy with a brain disorder decides to shoot their classmates. For the first time Thursday, Sharpe's mom and dad were present in court. They sat behind their son and are expected to testify next week. Sentencing continues Monday morning and is expected to wrap up next week.

   

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