Porter Teen sentenced in school bus stabbing

Friday, September 10th 2004, 9:18 pm

By: News On 6

WAGONER, Okla. (AP) _ A Porter teenager who pleaded no contest to fatally stabbing a classmate on a school bus was sentenced Friday to 10 years as a youthful offender, but could be released after serving less than three years.

Daniel Harley Dillingham, 16, is in the custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs and will serve three years at the L.E. Rader Center in Sand Springs.

He could be transferred to the adult system after that if he doesn't comply with juvenile treatment, but could not be held more than 10 years.

Under state law, juvenile offenders can't be held past their 19th birthday.

Judge Sandy Crosslin, who sentenced Dillingham, ordered a review date for 1 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2005.

``We're disappointed that's all he's going to get, but fortunately he got all the judge could give him,'' said District Attorney Richard Gray. ``We're glad for that.''

Gray said they will also carefully monitor Dillingham's compliance with treatment and seek prison time for any violations.

``If he doesn't complete his treatment, then we'll ask him to bridged over into the adult system.''

Dillingham pleaded no contest to first-degree murder in the Dec. 8 stabbing of Carl Andrew Robinson, 16, aboard a Porter High School bus.

Robinson died on the bus while Dillingham fled out the emergency exit in the back, only to be captured later in rural Wagoner County. Dillingham told investigators he was tired of Robinson's bullying.

On Friday, Robinson's parents read aloud victim impact statements in court.

Marie Hardin, Robinson's mother, said the loss of her only son has been devastating.

``I am reduced to memories of my son,'' she said. ``I have to remember the last time I talked to him, heard his voice, saw his smile. My memories have to last me a lifetime. There will not be any new ones.''

Carl Jett Robinson, Andy's father, said he will be forever haunted by the sound of his wife's voice and visions of his son's body.

``Every day since, I go through a mixture of emotions,'' Robinson said. ``I go through a period of nausea and weakness when I think of what happened that morning.''

Robinson also said he was disappointed Dillingham won't spend more time behind bars.

``Daniel Dillingham should go to prison,'' he said. ``He knows right from wrong and he has not accepted what he has done. Giving him medication and counseling is fine...but he should go to prison as well for the maximum amount of years that are now possible, which still won't be long enough.''

Dillingham was originally certified to stand trial as an adult, but the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals reversed that ruling in June, sending the boy to juvenile court.

Defense psychologists say Dillingham suffers from depression and may be developing schizophrenia. The defense has argued that he needs the counseling provided in the juvenile system rather than punishment in adult prison.