Victim's family disappointed at killer's sentence
Thursday, November 18th 1999, 12:00 am
By:
News On 6
The family of Texas dragging death victim James Byrd Junior expected the third defendant in the case to get the same sentence as the other two -- death.
Byrd's sister, Clara Taylor, says: "If they shared equally in the crime, they should receive the same penalty."
The jury convicted Shawn Berry Thursday of capital murder, but sentenced him to life in prison. The 24-year-old Berry will be eligible for parole in 40 years.
His friends, John King and Lawrence Brewer, were sentenced to death at their trials -- and are on death row.