The mother of a 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in Virginia pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to smoking marijuana while in possession of a handgun, which is against the law in the United States.
Deja Taylor is accused of lying about her marijuana usage on a document when she purchased the rifle that her son subsequently used to shoot Abby Zwerner in her Newport News classroom. The first-grade teacher was critically injured and required many surgery.
Taylor’s counsel reached a plea deal with prosecutors that called for a jail term ranging from 18 to 24 months. Sentencing is set for October 18.
The incident, according to attorney Gene Rossi, was “a perfect storm of horrible consequences” in which a “brave courageous teacher almost lost her life.”
“Miss Taylor’s role in this tragedy was a complete accident and a complete mistake,” he explained. “She accepts complete responsibility for her son’s actions and will be haunted by guilt for the rest of her life.”
Taylor’s federal case is different from the state accusations she is facing: felony child neglect and irresponsible weapon storage. A trial on such charges is scheduled for August.
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