Adult prison sentence of 25 years for 12-year old killer in Indiana

As detailed in this lengthy local article from Indiana, which is headlined “Gingerich sentenced to 25 years in prison,” today a very young killer in Indiana got a very adult sentence for his crime. Here are the specifics:

A 12-year-old Kosciusko County boy has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the killing of the stepfather of one of his friends. Today a judge sentenced Paul Gingerich to 30 years with the last five to be served on probation.

Back on April 20th of last year, Colt Lundy and Gingerich shot Phillip Danner, 49, in his home in Cromwell.  Danner was shot four times and died in the home.  Danner is Lundy’s stepfather.

During the setencing hearing Tuesday Gingerich said, “I’m sorry for what happened to Mr. Danner.  I’m sorry for what the family had to go through. I did wrong and I’m ready to [take responsibility] for my actions.”…  In November, Gingerich pleaded guilty to conspiracy to committ murder in exchange for dropping a murder and aiding in murder charge.

In court, Gingerich’s father, Paul Gingerich, asked Judge Reed to give his son the minimum sentence. He had requested to give his statement to the judge in person in court rathar than write a letter as others did…. “I know what he did ws wrong, but he should be punished as a child. Children follow. They do what they’re told. They do not have the moral compass we do,” he said in court….

Gingerich’s attorneys also argued that the boy should be sentenced to the minimum 20 years and that the sentence be carried out in a juvenile facility.  Fred Franco Jr., one of Gingerich’s attorneys, said that while the court may have judged his client as an adult, he’s still a boy. Gingerich, he said, had never been in trouble before.

“No one knows why he did what he did.  Even Paul Henry can’t tell you.  Why he listened to Colt Lundy no one knows,” Franco said….  “Paul didn’t know Mr. Danner.  This plan was initiated and carried forth by Colt,” Franco said.

Franco argued that Gingerich and two other 12-year-old boys were bullied to be involved. “The boys were afraid of Colt. Colt used to shoot the boys with BB guns,” he said in court. One 12-year-old boy was just a witness but didn’t run away with the other three.  The other 12-year-old stood watch outside the house and left with Lundy and Gingerich.  He stayed in the juvenile system and has already finished serving six months in a juvenile facility….

A psychologist, Dr. Stephen Ross, did an evaluation on Gingerich. Cohen said those results found that Gingerich was a “normal young boy, not a sociopath.”

Kosciusko County Prosecutor Steven Hearn said while he wasn’t going to respond to every argument the defense made, it didn’t mean he agrees with them.