A Florida dad was sentenced to life in prison for shooting his two children, despite his assertion that he was a "good person."
Jermaine Lavanda Bass, 32, shot and killed 5-year-old Jaylah Bass. He also shot and wounded her 8-year-old brother, also named Jermaine, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Both children were shot in the head.
Bass has maintained the shootings were accidental. But, during a sentencing hearing, prosecutors pointed out the shootings were "precise, deliberate shots," the newspaper reported.
Still, Bass did not take responsibility for the shootings. "I'm a good person. I've worked. I always provided for my family," Bass told the court.
When police arrived at the Bass home, they found Bass holding his son, who was bleeding from a gunshot wound to his head, WFTS TV reported. When police went upstairs they found Jaylah lying on the top bunk bed with multiple gunshot wounds to her head.
In addressing the court before he was sentenced Bass talked about how tough it was for him growing up. "I was raised in a single-parent home til about the age of 10, with my cousin who my mom adopted, and we had good times. We had some bad times," Bass said.
Bass then talked about how he always went to school, always worked, always got good grades, and how he graduated high school. He said that he was always the "favorite cousin, the favorite brother," and in good cheer. "I made sure my family had the best," he said, citing several examples of how he was a good father.
"I know that it may be difficult because of the accident, but I hope that God guides them [his family] and gives them strength, " Bass said. "The same strength that he has given me."
As Bass finished Judge Samantha Ward asked, "And the accident you're referring to is the death of your children?"
"Yes," Bass said.
Originally published on Latin Times
