CARLISLE — A Hampden Township man in prison since 1983 for sexually assaulting and murdering an 11-year-old boy was issued a new sentence Monday in Cumberland County Court.
John Waters was 16 when he killed Steven Turner in Hampden Township in 1981. After being convicted of first degree murder and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, he was sentenced to life in prison.
But a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling determined that juvenile offenders cannot receiving mandatory life sentences. Waters received a new sentencing hearing this week, and Cumberland County Judge Albert Masland re-sentenced him to 35 years to life for the murder charge and a consecutive sentence of 4 to 10 years for the involuntary deviate sexual intercourse count.
The new minimum sentence is 39 years. Waters has already served 36.
Prosecutors had asked for a new sentence of 50 years to life, but Waters’ attorney argued he has been a model prisoner and is unlikely to re-offend, according to Pennlive.com.
Turner’s family opposes the new sentence and issued a statement on Facebook expressing their disappointment.
