A Los Angeles Superior Court judge sentenced Tedi Snyder to 32 years to life in prison today for his role in a shooting that left another young man paralyzed. Snyder, who was 15 years old at the time of the incident, will be eligible for parole in 2038.His supporters, who packed the criminal courthouse room in downtown LA, say it was a small victory since prosecutors were hoping to send Snyder to prison for 80 years to life. The Youth Justice Coalition is using the case to expose what it calls the injustice of harsh youth sentencing that condemns minors from violent neighborhoods to a lifetime behind bars.
Pacifica’s Ernesto Arce files this report from Los Angeles.