A 20-year-old man convicted of murdering a rival gang member testified today as jurors consider whether to recommend life in prison or the death penalty. Sean Gathright lived on military bases as a child while his mother served in the U.S. Marine Corps and his stepfather in the Air Force. He attended an exclusive middle school in Jacksonville, Florida, and traveled globally before he and three others plotted to kill Charles "Julio Foolio" Jones, Jr., as part of a years-long gang feud. He chose to testify in the sentencing phase of his capital murder trial this morning (Tuesday, May 12) in Florida's 13th Judicial Circuit in Tampa. He acknowledged murdering Jones, apologized to Jones' family and said he wants to build a productive life in prison. "To the victim's family, you know, I want to send my deepest condolences and my you know — I understand that it's hard losing a child, a best friend, a brother, a cousin, and for that, I just cannot say sorry enough," Gathright said. "You know, I feel terrible about the situation, but I'm a firm believer that God can use anything for good that the devil wanted for bad, and so I am grateful for the people I've met, for the lessons that I've learned, for just this experience in general, because it's one that I'll never forget, and it's going to shape the rest of my life," Gathright said about being convicted of murder and ensuring he'll die in prison. "There's that saying, it's kind of cheesy, but you make lemons out of lemonade, or whatever?" his lawyer Jenna Finkelstein asked. "Lemonade out of lemons," Gathright corrected her. "I obviously don't make lemonade, but it sounds to me like you are going to try and make the best of a bad situation. Does that sound about right?" Finkelstein asked. "Of course," Gathright answered. "And are you going to continue to do that?" Finkelstein asked. "Of course. I'm going to try to, you know, continue a humble life, a righteous life, you know, try to do the right things at all times," Gathright answered. Gathright said he wants "to stay as busy as possible and, you know, stay away from bad apples." "You know, I want to, like, keep a job, get in the programs, try to get into any vocational things I can do, try to, you know, keep my record clean, to, you know, go to the best incentivized things and have visits with my family," Gathright said. "And, you know, I just want to just stay out the way you know. Just want to make everything you know peaceful as can be." "Even knowing that you're not getting out of prison, you want to make the best of your stay there?" Finkelstein asked. "Of course. I mean, who wouldn't if you're going to be somewhere for the rest of your life, why would you make your life a living hell?" Gathright answered. #law #crime #court #prison - @meghannmcuniff