Man who killed Jacksonville classmate as a teen gets resentencing hearing

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Charles Southern is serving a life sentence for gunning down his high school classmate Makia Coney in 2010 in cold blood. Now, he wants out of prison.

Even though his appeal was denied, the courts are now giving Southern a resentencing hearing.

Southern and Connor Pridgen said they murdered their 17-year-old friend because they just wanted to see what it would be like.

The pair admitted to taking turns shooting Coney in the head after luring her into the woods.

Southern was 17 at the time of the murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Now a U.S. Supreme Court ruling could change his sentence. Justices ruled life without parole for children 17 and younger is unconstitutional, which means Southern’s sentence could be shortened.

A status conference for Southern’ s case will be held January 11.

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