Judge weighing testimony to determine sentencing for Downing

By Bob Heye KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 25, 2012 at 6:46 PM PDT
Judge weighing testimony to determine sentencing for Downing »Play Video
A tear rolls down Sophia Downing's cheek as she listens to the testimony of Jillian Becker during the penalty phase in Marion County Circuit Court, in Salem, Ore., on Wednesday, April 25, 2012. Becker was the victim of an assault by Downing and another person in 1996. Downing was convicted on two counts of first degree manslaughter, second degree assault, driving under the influence and reckless endangerment earlier in April. (AP Photo/Statesman Journal, Timothy J. Gonzalez)

SALEM, Ore. - The woman convicted of running down three teens in Salem, killing two of them, could get more than 50 years behind bars.

A Marion County judge heard testimony in the sentencing phase of Sophia Downing's trial Wednesday.

The mother of one of the victims, Lois Green, is mostly relieved now that Downing has been found guilty in the death of her daughter, Brittney. Now Lois can only sit and wait for a judge to decide how much time Downing will spend in prison.

Downing was high on prescription drugs when she ran down 18-year-old Brittney, 16-year-old Francisco Cervantez and 16-year-old Jorge Echeverria in September 2010 along Northeast Lancaster Boulevard near Chemeketa College.

Green and Cervantez died. Echeverria survived.

Just before the crash, Downing had been released from prison after serving 10 years for beating a teenage girl. Downing was charged with attempted murder but pleaded guilty to assault.

The victim in that crime, Jillian Becker, testified Wednesday that she'd hoped that prison would have gotten Downing the help she needed to turn her life around.

"And all I ever wanted was her to have help. That's all that we ever – anybody in my family ever wanted, was for her to have the right help. And I want you to know that I do forgive you."

Tearfully, Downing responded: "I'm sorry."

The prosecution wants the judge to give Downing the maximum sentence because of a pattern of dangerous and reckless disregard for others and because they say she's a danger to the public. They are asking that all the counts Downing was convicted on, including manslaughter and DUII, be served one after the other instead of all at the same time.

Lois Green said she hopes Downing gets as much time behind bars as possible.

"I've come to the realization that she's never going to spend the time that I want her to spend," she said. "Because otherwise, if she got the sentence I wanted her to get, she'd be dragged by a car like my daughter was. So at this point, as long as she serves a decent amount of time, I have to deal with either way it goes because it’s not in my hands."

Downing waived her right to be sentenced by a jury, leaving her fate in the hands of a judge. The judge won't sentence Downing right away. He has to consider some motions by the defense before handing down his sentence and that may take several more days.