EL CAJON – Santana High School shooter Charles "Andy" Williams should be sentenced to 425 years to life in state prison, a prosecutor will argue before a judge today.
The 16-year-old, who pleaded guilty to murder and attempted-murder charges in June, is scheduled to be sentenced by Superior Court Judge Herbert Exarhos.
The East County courtroom is expected to be packed with family members of the two slain students, Bryan Zuckor and Randy Gordon, victims who were wounded and members of Williams' family.
Court officials are prepared to open the jury lounge and perhaps the neighboring East County Performing Arts Center to handle an overflow crowd.
Exarhos can sentence Williams to anywhere between 50 and 425 years to life. Prosecutor Kris Anton is seeking 425 years to life.
"We're asking for the maximum because I feel his punishment should reflect the harm he inflicted on each individual," Anton said.
The defense is expected to ask for as lenient a sentence as possible, one that could afford Williams a chance at parole someday. At the time of the shootings, Williams had just turned 15.
He pleaded guilty to opening fire from a bathroom at the high school the morning of March 5, 2001. Terrified students and staff members fled across the school's quad as the teen indiscriminately fired dozens of rounds in six minutes. He killed Zuckor and Gordon, and wounded 13 others.
Williams was arrested by three police officers who converged on the bathroom. He later made a full confession to investigators.
Prosecutors said the teen-ager would stand trial as an adult, invoking controversial powers granted by voters under Proposition 21. The case lay dormant for nearly a year until the state Supreme Court ruled in April that the law is constitutional.
Today's sentencing hearing will include statements from about 20 family members and victims, Anton said. Williams may also make a statement, defense attorney Randy Mize said.
Greg Moran: (619) 542-4586; greg.moran@uniontrib.com
