Guilty Plea on the Line: Notorious School Shooter's Desperate Bid for Freedom

DETROIT (AP) — Prosecutors urged a judge Tuesday to reject a Michigan school shooter's request to withdraw his guilty plea in the deaths of four students in 2021.

Oakland County Circuit Judge Kwame Rowe will have to decide whether the teenage shooter's plea should stand or be rescinded, potentially paving the way for a trial.

The shooter, who was 15 at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty in October to 24 counts, including terrorism and first-degree murder charges, in connection with the November 30, 2021, attack at Oxford High School.

The guilty plea was part of a deal that ensured the shooter would not face life in prison without the possibility of parole. Instead, he would face a sentence of 40 to 65 years in prison.

However, the shooter's lawyers argued that his initial plea was made under duress and without a full understanding of the consequences.

Prosecutors countered that the shooter was well-aware of his actions and had shown no remorse for the deaths of the four students: Hana St. Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Justin Shilling, 17.

During the hearing, prosecutors pointed out that the shooter had texted a friend before the attack, expressing regret for not being able to use his father's gun to shoot deer, but had also talked about using it to shoot students.

'This is not someone who was under duress,' a prosecutor said. 'This is someone who was planning this attack for weeks, maybe even months.'

Lawyers for the shooter countered that their client was still struggling with the trauma of his actions and that his guilty plea should be withdrawn due to his impaired mental state.

'This was a very difficult decision for him to make,' one of his lawyers said. 'And it's a decision that, as he has had more time to think about it, he wants to change.'

The judge will review the case and may make a decision at a later date. If the plea is not withdrawn, the shooter will face sentencing as scheduled in February 2024.

The case has brought attention to gun control and school safety measures, as well as the long-standing issue of gun violence in the United States.