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Gary Cochran/File photo
By Todd Leskanic
The Tampa Tribune
Gary Cochran, 41, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder this afternoon and was sentenced to life in prison for killing his 9-year-old niece, Sharra Ferger, in 1997.
The Dade City man was scheduled to stand trial in January. In the last couple of weeks, though, prosecutors worked out a plea agreement after an overture from defense attorneys.
Exactly why Cochran’s lawyers sought the deal isn’t entirely clear. Much of their legal maneuvering in recent months had focused on challenging Cohran’s eligibility for the death penalty, based on what they said was his limited mental capacity. A 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision abolished death sentences for mentally retarded convicts.
In agreeing to the deal with prosecutors, Cochran did spare himself the possibility of being executed for Sharra’s murder.
In laying out the state’s case against Cochran, Assistant State Attorney Jim Hellickson said Cochran had raped the girl and stabbed her 47 times.
Sharra’s body was found in a field near her Blanton home on Oct. 3, 1997.
Cochran did not speak at today’s hearing. His son, David, was allowed to talk with him briefly after the hearing, though no one spoke on his behalf before he was sentenced.
A co-defendant, Gary Steven Cannon, 26, of Zephyrhills, was convicted of first-degree murder in September and also sentenced to life in prison.
These two men tortured this little girl and killed her and they get to live? I remember this story when it happened and its so sad that it took this long. If this innocent child had to die then so should they. Sick people.
Why don’t we just save everybodies time and money, just give him to Sharra’s family for a while.
I hope you rot!
He should have gotten the death penalty.They should have done to him what he did to his neice.He’s own flesh and blood
I can’t believe it takes six years to bring people to justice , that’s why our system has fail on a daily basis and will continue to do if stiffer guidelines aren’t introduce to protect the citizens. Finally if your found guily after six years why your so scare to die with a lethal injection if your life behind bars is goin to be a nightmare, once the other convicts get a hold of you.
Better our Judicial System PLEASE.
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Posted by karen ferger, new york on 03/06 at 03:10 AM
i want them to know what they did was wrong that they have distrude my family and my life but im back on my feet and im going to help other that are going thew the same thing i went threw they to my heart a way but they didnt win i won they will never have freedom again i will always have a say in there life and they cant do a thing about it but i live on and so dose my daughter