The woman accused of shooting a pregnant woman to death was sentenced to 40 years for her crime.
Shanika Minor was charged in the death of Tamecca Perry and her unborn daughter. Perry was just a week from her due date.
"I want her to go," said Cynthia Freeman, Perry's mother. "If I deserve all this ache and pain, she deserves it."
During the sentencing, Freeman spoke directly to the judge to try and plead her case for a maximum sentence for Minor.
"I want to ask her why but I can't ask anybody but god that," Freeman said. "I haven't ate in a year, slept in a year. I can't do nothing. It's hard for me. I'm trying to stand strong and I want the max for this young lady because it wasn't understandable. There was no reason for all this to happen. I want her to go. She deserves it."
Freeman has had a rough year and a half. Just 20 days after Perry was killed, her son was shot and killed after a car accident.
"I've got a good family," Freeman said. "But it's got to be god. I don't know. I wanted to break. I wanted to kill myself but I didn't [because] I look at them five."
Freeman motioned to her grandchildren; three from her son and two from her daughter. She's responsible for helping raise them now without their parents.
Minor had few words for the family, just saying she's sorry.
"I just want to apologize to the family," Minor said through tears. "Even if they don't choose to accept my apology. I never chose or meant for this situation to occur. If I could take it back, I would."
Minor's attorney asked for a five to 10 year sentence. He says there were other circumstances that lead to the shooting. He says, Minor had a registered handgun and had unloaded the magazine. However, she kept one bullet in the chamber just in case because he says Tamecca Perry's boyfriend also had a gun.
"If Tamecca's boyfriend hadn't been holding a handgun, this wouldn't happen," Attorney Mark Tishberg said. "It doesn't justify what Ms. Minor did but that's one reason why she had the gun in the first place. She feared for herself."
It was an argument that fell on deaf ears.
The incident started because of a verbal argument over loud music between Perry and Minor's mother. They both lived in the same duplex on different levels.
But it escalated to a level higher than they would have anticipated.
"I normally see someone bringing a gun to a fist fight," said Judge Jeffrey Conen. "I can't say that here because it wasn't even close to a fist fight. This is a new low. Brought a gun to a verbal argument and someone is dead."
The state had asked for 22 to 25 years in the case but Judge Conen implemented a 40 year sentence with 30 years to be served behind bars.
It wasn't the maximum sentence, Freeman was pleased.
"I wanted to say a lot but I want it over with," Freeman said. "I really wanted her to get life but it's ok. It's ok. I'll take the 40."
Tishberg says he plans to appeal his client's sentence, calling it excessive.
