Former Astronaut Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter In Death Of Two Girls, Gets Four Years
“My daughters were amazing, beautiful, smart, strong little girls that could have been anything in this world if they had the opportunity to grow up, but that was taken from me and all of everyone else in this world,” the mother of 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrick Parler said after the plea. James Halsell Jr. Photo: AP
A former Alabama astronaut pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault in the death of two young girls and will spend 4 years behind bars, but the victims’ family has argued that the plea deal “wasn’t justice.”
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) A former NASA space shuttle commander indicted on reckless murder charges in the traffic deaths of two girls pleaded guilty to reduced charges Thursday nearly five years aft
A former U.S. astronaut pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault in the deaths of two young girls in a car crash.
James Halsell Jr., was arrested in 2016 and charged with murder in the deaths of Jayla Latrice Parker, 13, and Niomi Deona James, 11.
On Thursday, Halsell pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of manslaughter. He also faced four counts of assault, but two of those assault charges were dismissed as a result of his plea agreement.
He was taken into custody following Thursday s court appearance and sentencing.
As part of the agreement, Halsell pleaded guilty to the maximum sentence of 20 years under the manslaughter offense, Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hays Webb said.
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