Friday, August 28, 2009

Memorial Middle School shooter sentencing delayed

Sentencing for Memorial Middle School shooter Thomas Gregory White, originally scheduled for today, has been pushed back to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, according to Jasper County Circuit Court online records.

"Due to lack of sheriff officers to transport the defendant, the sentencing hearing scheduled for Aug. 28 is reset to Sept. 4," the record says.

White, 17, has been in the Hawthorn Psychiatric Children's Hospital since pleading guilty June 26 to two counts of assault and one count of armed criminal action in connection with the October 2006 shooting at Memorial Middle School. Police reports indicate White took an assault rifle to the school, fired the weapon into the ceiling, and then pointed it at Principal Steve Gilbreth. When he attempted to fire, the weapon jammed.

White had also been charged with unlawful use of a weapon and attempted escape, but those charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement. Since the June 26 court appearance, White, who was a seventh grader at Memorial when the incident occurred, has been evaluated by the Missouri Department of Social Services, Division of Youth Services, to see if he should be put into the dual jurisdiction program.

White has been locked up since his arrest the day of the shooting.

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