The Ballard 19-year-old who murdered a gas station clerk in 2009 has just been sentenced to 27 years in prison. Elijah Hall was 17 years old when he shot and killed Manish Welwani at the Pit Stop gas station at 15th Ave NW and NW 58th St. in July 2009.
The scene in 2009 at The Pit Stop gas station
Hall initially pleaded guilty to the crime, but later withdrew his plea only to later be convicted by a King County jury. King County Superior Court Judge Mariane Spearman split the difference between the prosecution’s request for a 30-year prison term and Hall’s attorney’s request for 25 years in jail, settling on 27 years for Hall.
The teen’s lawyers had argued Hall’s difficult upbringing left him unable to consider the consequences of his actions. However, prosecutors maintained that Hall’s disguise and the fact he was carrying a gun meant he knew he was doing wrong.
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