by The Associated Press
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
SITKA, Alaska -- A 20-year-old Sitka man convicted of stabbing four people to death is appealing his 140-year prison sentence.
Jason Abbott pleaded guilty but mentally ill to killing his grandparents, an aunt and her fiance at his grandparents' home in 2008. A fifth victim, another aunt, was critically wounded.
Abbott pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault.
Sitka Superior Court Judge David George sentenced Abbott in February and estimated he would be eligible for parole when he was about 70 years old.
The Sitka Sentinel reports Dan Bair of the state Office of Public Advocacy appealed.
Bair says the sentence was excessive for a defendant who had pleaded guilty but mentally ill. He also says George erred in not imposing more time concurrently.
