Nebraska Teen Gets a Heavy Sentence for Accidental Shooting

Sabri S. Ibrahim The Journal Star A 19-year-old refugee will spend at least the next three years in prison for accidentally shooting a 17-year-old in the back, paralyzing her. Lancaster County District Court Judge Jodi Nelson gave Sabri S. Ibrahim a 6- to 10-year sentence Thursday for shooting Treneyce R. Thompson, now 18, on June 19. With good time, he’ll finish his sentence in three years. Ibrahim was trying to buy the gun from 20-year-old Deavonni Galloway and was checking it out in the back seat of Galloway’s car when the gun went off. The bullet blasted through the front passenger seat and tore into Thompson’s back. “I’m sorry. My heart cries out to Treneyce,” Ibrahim told Nelson in court on Thursday. “It was an accident.” Defense attorney Carlos Monzon asked Nelson to give Ibrahim a 1 1/2- to 3- year sentence to run with time he was already doing on a drug charge. “Mr. Ibrahim never had the intent to cause harm to anybody,” Monzon said. “He probably didn’t even mean to shoot that gun. “This is a case about an accident.” Yes and no, Judge Nelson countered. True, Ibrahim probably didn’t mean to shoot a gun and hurt Thompson. But he did try to buy a gun illegally while out on bond from the drug charges, and undoubtedly, she said, he was going to do something “sinister” with it.
Wow, that sounds like the judge punished the guy for things he hasn't done yet, possible future crimes.
Is that right? Can he do that?