
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 17, 1994                    TAG: 9406170813 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B5    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: HAMPTON 
DATELINE: 940617                                 LENGTH: Short

TEEN SENTENCED FOR MURDER

{LEAD} A 16-year-old who fatally stabbed a fellow high school student was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison for first-degree murder.

Samuel Anderson, who was 15 at the time of the stabbing at Kecoughton High School last year, was tried and sentenced as an adult.

``It is an adult crime,'' Circuit Judge Walter J. Ford said, ``and it calls for an adult punishment.''

Anderson killed Javal Allen, 16, during a fight in school's parking lot Oct. 18. Allen ran inside and collapsed in the school's cafeteria, where students were eating lunch.

At his March trial, Anderson testified he never meant to hurt Allen. He said he acted in self-defense, protecting himself from a bully who had chased him home before.

Other witnesses testified that before the stabbing Anderson had threatened to kill Allen.

Anderson apologized Thursday for stabbing Allen and said again that he didn't mean to kill him.

``Next time a fight occurs, I'll just run away from it,'' Anderson said. ``I'd rather just let him beat me up than have to go through this.''

{KEYWORDS} JUVENILE MURDER SENTENCE

by CNB