This was published 7 years ago
New sentence for teen who murdered Melbourne baseballer Chris Lane
By Broede Carmody
An Oklahoma appeals court has thrown out the life sentence given to a teenager who was convicted of fatally shooting an Australian baseball player three years ago.
Chancey Luna was tried as an adult in the killing of 22-year-old Chris Lane, who was shot in the back while jogging along a road in southwestern Oklahoma.
Mr Lane, from Melbourne, was in the United States for a sports scholarship with Oklahoma's East Central University.
The Melbourne baseballer was murdered shortly before starting his senior year.
He was visiting his girlfriend, Sarah Harper, when he was randomly shot and left to die in a residential street.
Luna, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Mr Lane's father, Peter Lane, said the family was frustrated by the news, but not defeated.
"Obviously we are disappointed, but we always said that part of the situation will have to handle itself and we'll have to deal with what we have to deal with," he said.
In a court filing, Luna's attorney argued that life-without-parole was an unconstitutional sentence for a juvenile, and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals agreed. The panel upheld Luna's conviction and ordered a resentencing.
District Attorney Jason Hicks said he was disappointed by the successful appeal, but was ready to "move forward" with a new sentencing hearing.
"We are confident in our evidence and look forward to once again presenting it to a jury," he said.
- With AP, AAP