Teen gets 30 years for shooting
A Spokane teenager will spend 30 years in prison for shooting at two men in a motel parking lot a year ago, a judge ruled Friday.
Anthony R. Covert, 19, was found guilty of attempted murder, first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and two weapons charges in a Nov. 7, 2008, shooting at the West Wynn Motel, 2701 W. Sunset Highway in which Shane L. Hagedorn, of Spokane, suffered gunshot wounds to his stomach.
"I think you present a danger to the community," said Judge Tari Eitzen, who presided over his trial. "I think five years from now, 10 years from now, the light bulb's going to go on and you're going to say 'What was I thinking?' But that light bulb hasn't gone on yet."
After listening to tearful statements from Hagedorn's family, Covert apologized but blamed Hagedorn for instigating the fight.
"I'm not this monster that this whole thing makes me out to be," Covert said.
Said Covert's public defender, Al Rossi, "This is a case where somebody (Hagedorn) thinks he has the upper hand and he's going to wreak havoc on someone else and he miscalculates."
Hagedorn, who is in physical rehabilitation and was unable to attend, was shot four times by Covert in a confrontation over a girl that started with threats on the phone.
"There were lots of times for all of you to just cool it, but you couldn't because of your age or whatever it is that went on," Eitzen said.
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