PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - The Pierre teenager who was convicted last year of killing a classmate and threatening another will be eligible for parole in almost six years.
Braiden McCahren, 18, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last month after he was found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of 16-year-old Dalton Williams. This week, Sixth Circuit Judge John Brown recalculated McCahren’s eligibility for parole, moving it up about 2½ years.
In court documents, Brown says he originally intended for McCahren to serve at least 10 years, but because he committed the crime when he was a juvenile, McCahren will be eligible after serving 50 percent of his sentence.
Brown told the prosecuting and defense attorneys that he “erroneously believed” McCahren would have to serve a longer sentence, KCCR-AM reported.
After receiving credit for serving more than 450 days while awaiting trial, McCahren will now be eligible for parole on March 21, 2021, Department of Corrections spokesman Michael Winder said.
Because this is McCahren’s first felony offense, defense attorney Michael Butler appealed to Brown that McCahren’s two felonies should only count as one as per state law. Brown agreed and issued an order reversing the initial judgment on Tuesday.
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