Teen accused of killing her abusive father won’t face life sentence

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Bresha Meadows, the 14-year-old girl who has been accused of killing her allegedly abusive father, will not be tried as an adult. 

Because she will be tried as a juvenile, the longest she can be sentenced to prison is until her 21st birthday, though if she had been tried as an adult, she might have aced the possibility of a life sentence.

The news comes as a relief after Meadows’ family members have testified that her father was abusive and that Meadows acted in self-defense in shooting him.

— National support grows for Bresha Meadows, accused of killing abusive father — 

“She is a little girl and this was weighing heavy so I feel like today a thousand pounds has lifted off her shoulders, her mom’s shoulders, the family’s shoulders and everybody’s shoulders that she will have a future,” Cleveland police officer Martina Latessa told WFMJ News. “She will have a tomorrow.”

Since Meadows’ story hit national news, there have been calls for her freedom, with many saying that she is a victim in this case and should not be punished for trying to escape her abuser.

Her next hearing is schedule for January 20.

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