Brazill said he thought the gun's safety, which prevents a bullet from firing, was on. And he certainly didn't intend to kill him. He said Brazill was guilty of manslaughter with a firearm, an act of culpable negligence punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Brazill's parents, meanwhile, pleaded on national television on Tuesday for the jury to consider their son's age. It's just not fair.
Every child deserves a second chance.
Brazill has insisted on the stand that he accidentally pulled the trigger. He said he pointed the pistol at the teacher's head and pulled back the slide so Grunow would know the gun was real and let the girls into the hallway. The gun went off immediately after Grunow told him to get the gun out of his face, he said. Shiner said a school surveillance tape showed Brazill held the gun for 11 seconds and pointed it at the teacher's head for four seconds. He contended Brazill felt in control with the gun and became angry when Grunow prevented him from speaking to the girl he liked, Rosales, because he wouldn't see her over the summer.