(Sheldon)– A sheldon man convicted in the accidental shooting death of a local teen in 2002 will be re-sentenced in Federal Court.
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling this week that District Court Judge Mark Bennett incorrectly sentenced Lathan Barnett to serve a federal and state prison sentence at the same time.
In August, the 26-year-old Barnett was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison on four weapons charges. He also received a five-year state prison sentence on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in O’Brien County District Court.
Under U-S Code, sentences for crimes of violence must run consecutively.
Barnett and 21-year-old Shane Meyer of Sheldon were both charged in the October 2002 shooting death of 17-year-old Shelley Gonnerman of Sheldon. All three were inside Meyer’s Sheldon apartment when a shotgun Barnett was holding accidentally went off, killing Gonnerman instantly.
Meyer is serving a seven-year prison sentence for his role in the shooting.
Barnett will be resentenced in Sioux City Federal Court at a later date.
(Story from Danielle Hitchings of sister station KDWD Hot 100 in Spencer.).
