Gabrielle Varney (18) plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter

[socalj]

Her MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/fireprincess_2008


LAKE COUNTY A case of teen violence that ended in the death of 17-year-old Heather Valdez reached a conclusion Monday, when Gabrielle Varney, 18, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

Varney was arrested last summer on charges of murder and using a knife in connection with Valdez's death. Varney allegedly stabbed Valdez with a pocketknife on the afternoon of June 5 after school let out for the day at W.C. Carle High School in Lower Lake, the small continuation school where the teens were juniors.

"Apparently, these two were good friends and spent time at each others' houses, and they got into a tiff over something. Witnesses believe it was something over some remarks made about cigarettes," Lake County District Attorney Jon Hopkins.

Varney is scheduled to appear in court June 8 for sentencing. Hopkins said the Lake Count Probation Department will contact Varney, who is being held at the Lake County Jail, launch an investigation and make a sentencing recommendation to the court. Hopkins said if Varney receives probation, she could spend up to a year in county jail. Varney could also receive a prison sentence of 4 to 12 years.

Varney's defense attorney, Stephen Carter, said he offered the settlement "some time ago," and the District Attorney's office accepted it after a Friday meeting with Valdez's family.

Carter said Varney received credit for the time she has served and may be out of prison in three to 10 years if she receives a
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prison sentence.

"The victim's mother has indicated that she understands that a guilty verdict following a lengthy jury trial is not a certainty and that in the event the jury returned a guilty verdict, that verdict could be either to murder, or to a lesser crime of voluntary or involuntary manslaughter," prosecutor John DeChaine wrote in a Monday press release.

DeChaine said some of the evidence in the case indicated that Valdez's death may have been the result of a sudden quarrel or heat of passion. He said it was possible if the case had gone to trial that a jury might have concluded Varney stabbed Valdez in self-defense.

He said Valdez harbored an "unreasonable belief that killing Heather Valdez was necessary in order to avoid suffering her own great bodily injury."

In a Monday press release, Carter said he asked for a special setting for the sentencing because he planned to hold a lengthy hearing "with a large number of witnesses who will testify as to the ongoing severe bullying and emotional abuse Varney underwent at the hands of Heather Valdez."

_______________________
Her boyfriend William: "I miss My Gabby Princess"
http://www.myspace.com/218783794

[Its Me De]

Aww, how sweet! Looks like she's in love with a juggalo!
How are you gonna kill your friend over some effin' cigarettes? things like this I'll never understand. Man, she's homely :2abused:

[Its Me De]

Oh yeah, in his blogs he says he's a carnie.
Not that that was a surprise or anything.