40 years to life: Aiden Fucci to be sentenced in March, judge says
Gone were the necktie and dark blazer that Aiden Fucci wore when he changed his plea moments before trial, and back were the shackles and red jail jumpsuit. The 16-year-old returned to court Thursday to learn his fate will tentatively be decided the week of March 20.
Fucci pleaded guilty on Feb. 6 to first-degree murder in the 2021 stabbing death of his Patriot Oaks Academy classmate Tristyn Bailey. She was 13 and Fucci was 14 at the time.
They had been at a friend's home in their Dubrin Crossing neighborhood in St. Johns County and were last seen walking together after 1 a.m. on May 9, 2021, the Sheriff's Office said. Bailey was stabbed over a hundred times, according to the medical examiner.
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Fucci's friends would later tell investigators he had talked about wanting to kill someone, even taking them into the woods and stabbing them. But why Bailey is still unclear. He did express sorrow to both Bailey's family and his own in a brief statement during his plea.
Thursday's hearing at the St. Johns County Courthouse was short. Judge R. Lee Smith scheduled March 21 and 22 for the sentencing, with the opportunity to start a day earlier or later if needed, and another status hearing on March 8.
Smith said he intends to decide on a sentence the same week.
“I'm not going to drag this out any longer than necessary," he said in court, according to First Coast News. "I don’t want to go through a sentencing hearing and then say, 'All right, now I'm going to take three more weeks."
Bailey's family also was in attendance.
What prison sentence does Aiden Fucci face?
As a juvenile, Fucci is not eligible for the death penalty. He faces a minimum of 40 years and up to life in prison. The judge will have to weigh mitigating factors such as the circumstances of the crime, his mental capacity, upbringing and history, potential for rehabilitation and the impact on the victim’s family.
If sentenced to a life term, the judge can review the possibility of a lighter sentence after serving 25 years, according to Florida law.
During the sentencing phase, the judge can hear victim impact statements as well as from Fucci's family and expert witnesses who for instance can address the teen's mental health. Both the prosecution and defense submitted lists of about 20 potential witnesses who could be called to testify.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Aiden Fucci will be sentenced in March for Tristyn Bailey's death
