Teen sniper Lee Boyd Malvo gets life in prison without parole

CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- Lee Boyd Malvo, the young man who teamed up with John Allen Muhammad to terrorize the Washington area in a sniper spree that left 10 people dead, was formally sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole.

Malvo, 19, was sentenced a day after Muhammad was given the death penalty by a judge in Prince William County. The judge in Muhammad's case could have reduced the sentence to life in prison, but Malvo's judge had no other option than life without parole, which the jury recommended.

Malvo, wearing a gray sweater, light blue shirt and dark trousers, did not speak during the 10-minute hearing, following the advice of his lawyers who did not want his words used against him in future prosecutions.

Prosecutor Paul Ebert, who led the case against Muhammad and is next in line to try Malvo, said he would wait until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on whether juveniles may be executed. A decision is expected next year.

Malvo was 17 when he killed FBI analyst Linda Franklin, 47, outside a Falls Church Home Depot store.

"If the Supreme Court rules that the death penalty is still available to juveniles, I will try Mr. Malvo and very likely seek the death penalty," Ebert said. He added that a trial would not take place until next year, at the earliest.

Robert F. Horan Jr., who led the prosecution of Malvo, said after sentencing that he plans to try Muhammad in the killing of Franklin. He said the trial could take place by the end of the summer.

Muhammad's attorneys are appealing his conviction in the Oct. 9, 2002, killing of Dean Harold Meyers., and Horan said another conviction would serve as a backup if the first one is reversed.

Malvo's attorneys argued during the trial that the teenager was legally insane because he was brainwashed by Muhammad, whom he considered his father. Jurors have said that while they did not believe Malvo was insane, they thought Muhammad had influenced him.

Defense lawyer Craig Cooley reiterated Wednesday that Muhammad was an influence.

"We do not believe anyone could have observed the evidence ... and believed Lee Malvo would be here except for the influence of John Muhammad," Cooley said.

Malvo attorney Michael Arif said after the hearing that Malvo is still in the process of realizing what he has done.

"He's cried on occasion, but hasn't yet come to appreciate the entirety of what has happened to the victims," Arif said.

Several family members of victims expressed unhappiness with the life sentence.

"They committed the crimes together. They together should get the death penalty," said Kwang Im Szuszka, sister of Hong Im Ballenger, who was shot in Baton Rouge, La., in the weeks before the Washington sniper spree. Muhammad and Malvo have been charged in her death.

Prosecutors in other states, including Alabama and Louisiana, are seeking Malvo's extradition to face potential death-penalty charges for killings there.