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"This is basically a good kid and in the blink of an eye he became a murderer and unfortunately that is what we face today," Common Pleas Judge Shelly Robins New said before sentencing Charles T. Meyers.
Meyers, a baby-faced man with mane of swept-back hair in an oversized prison sweatsuit, sobbed and buried his head on the table through most of this morning's hour-long hearing at the Criminal Justice Center in Center City.
"I wish I had another chance," Meyers said before being led away by sheriffs deputies.
Meyers apologized to Law's family, about 20 of whom attended the hearing, for the killing the boy: "I may not have said it before. I just had too much going on."
That apology was not enough for Law's family, most of whom were still angry the jury found Meyers guilty of third-degree murder and not first, which would have carried a sentence of life in prison without parole.
"Third-degree, I still don't understand it," Tykeem's mother, Shauta McDuffie told the judge. "It still makes me angry."
Law was one of a half-dozen boys riding bikes and slowing traffic shortly after 4 p.m. on July 14, 2007. Meyers, driving two friends, pulled behind the youths in the 900 block of Federal Street, honking and yelling at them to move.
When Law stopped and began arguing with Meyers, Meyers drew the revolver and shot him once in the chest, killing him.
Meyers testified that he saw Law reach under his T-shirt and appear to hold a gun. Law was not armed and three witnesses, including Meyers' two passengers, testified that they never saw Law reach under his shirt or make any threatening gestures before Meyers fired the gun.
Defense attorney Daniel Conner asked New to impose a sentence of 15 to 30 years, arguing that "this was an impulsive act by this young man and he's not a threat to society."
Assistant District Attorney Gonen Haklay asked for the maximum sentence - Meyers will not be eligible for parole before he serves 26 years - and said he does not believe Meyers is remorseful.
"He's sorry for the situation he's in," Haklay told the judge. "But he killed an unarmed little boy because that little boy annoyed him and took 20 seconds out of his life because he didn't get out the way fast enough."
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