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 TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010 12:08 am |
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Local News 
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Man who killed daughter gets 13 years EVERETT – A Marysville man was sentenced this afternoon to more than 13 years in prison for killing his daughter last year.Richard Peters, 40, was convicted last month of first-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of 6-year-old Stormy Peters. Stormy was shot between the eyes inside the family home Nov. 16, 2008. Prosecutors alleged that Peters was drunk when he had Stormy get him a loaded gun from a bedroom nightstand. The first-grader brought her father the gun. Peters admitted that he shot his daughter. He called the shooting an accident. He told investigators that his .45-caliber Colt discharged as he was removing the ammunition magazine. Prosecutors argued that Peters intentionally aimed the handgun at his daughter. Peters was charged with second-degree murder. Jurors acquitted Peters on the murder charge during a weeklong trial last month. They weren’t persuaded that Peters was trying to scare his daughter by pointing the gun at her. A judge this afternoon sentenced Peters to the high-end of the range. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Michael Downes said the shooting was preventable. Peters failed to protect his daughter and ignored the risks of being drunk and handling a loaded gun around children. Peters didn’t speak at today’s hearing. He plans to appeal his conviction, his attorney Karen Halverson said. |
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COMMENTS
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That means the death was accidental, but involved criminal negligence.
Yes, so the jury said, but he is appealing even that tiny sentence. Apparently he thinks it's too much punishment for shooting his six-year-old daughter between the eyes, execution style... which if you ask me, I'd say doesn't sound accidental. I think he was playing some sort of sick game to terrify his daughter. Charming. Have any charges been brought against the monster of a mother who was yakking on the phone as her drunken husband had their kid fetch his gun? Probably not. What a sick, demented family. Poor kid never had a chance.
H White | Dec 2, 2009 1:51 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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Several people commented that the 13 year sentence was too short for murder. You're right, except if you read the article, a jury found him not guilty of murder. He was convicted of manslaughter. That means the death was accidental, but involved criminal negligence. Even if the gun discharged accidentally, he should never have pointed the gun at someone unless he was preparing to shoot them. I personally have experience an accidental discharge of a firearm from a defective primer, without the trigger being pulled, when the slide was released. Because I practice safe handling, the gun was pointed in a safe direction, and noone was hurt; though it scared me pretty good. Point is, accidents can happen. But when you're an idiot, someone can be killed, which may land you in jail; as it has landed this man for 13 years, plus living with having killed his daughter. Our justice system is imperfect, but a jury of his peers convicted him of manslaughter, and he received an appropriate sentence for the crime. Let this be a terrible object lesson for everyone on safe handling of firearms. And if you've been drinking, you have no business breaking out the guns. Alcohol or drugs and guns don't mix.
Joseph Baker | Dec 2, 2009 11:42 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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So you can shoot your kid between the eyes and only get 13 years? Amazing but sadly not surprising. So now this piece of garbage is actually going to appeal the sentence? Does he think 13 years is too much time to serve for murder? Does he think he's innocent? What a waste of money and time. I hope they deny his appeal.
I really hope these "parents” NEVER spawn again; they need to be neutered/spayed at the very least.
H White | Dec 2, 2009 10:11 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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I am shocked that is all he got!! I have a six year old and I would not stand for someone MURDERING her and then knowing that he will be a free man one day. Anyway you look at this he MURDERED her. He pointed a gun at her head and the pulled the trigger!!!! What is wrong with the justice system???
S T | Dec 1, 2009 6:36 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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The fact that he plans to appeal this insignificant sentence for murdering his daughter tells me all I need to know about this scum.
He's a self-serving drunk and he always will be.
Cheryl Fontaine | Dec 1, 2009 4:48 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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