A young woman who shot her girlfriend through both legs was sentenced Jan. 25 to three years in state prison by a judge who denied probation and a request by the prosecutor for a six year sentence.
Sade Keyana Peterson, 21, who was dressed in blue jail clothing, said nothing in court before El Cajon Superior Court Judge Charles Ervin followed the recommendation by the probation department. Her attorney, Megan Marcotte, asked for probation, saying the shooting occurred under “unusual circumstances.”
Deputy District Attorney Tim Campen said Peterson shot the 33-year-old victim and the bullet went through her right leg and passed into her left leg, causing it to break. The shooting happened after a struggle for the gun.
“We’re lucky this isn’t a homicide, lucky it didn’t hit the femoral artery,” said Campen. “This is a very serious case, not a probation case.”
Peterson had just moved from Florida and moved in with her lover in El Cajon just a month previously before the May 23, 2010, shooting. They had known each other about a year previously.
“This was a relationship between these two adults that was breaking down,” said the judge. “It appears to be a violent argument in which Ms. Peterson introduced a firearm into this disturbance.”
“She’s never fired a gun before. I concur with Mr. Campen. It’s very fortunate it’s not a homicide,” said Ervin.
Peterson’s aunt, Delores Green, flew in from Florida for the sentencing and told the judge there was a mistake in the record about her niece’s age. She said Peterson was 13 years younger than the victim and not the same age. El Cajon Police had reported the defendant was 33 years old, the same age as the victim.
“She moved out to be with this woman when she was 20 years old,” said Green.
Ervin noted for the record that Peterson was 20 years old when the shooting occurred.
“Have mercy on Sade. Give Sade another chance. Send her home to her family where she will have the support she needs,” said Green.
Ervin said he couldn’t impose probation because of the circumstances of the shooting. He gave her credit for 284 days already served, and fined her $824.
Campen said Peterson will have to serve 85 percent of the three-year sentence, or two-and-a-half years.
Green told a reporter afterwards the judge received many favorable letters about her niece. “She’s a very caring person. She wouldn’t do harm to people. She goes the extra mile,” she said.
Green said the victim was “very cunning and very controlling.”
Peterson pleaded guilty Dec. 2 to assault with a deadly weapon without requiring the victim to testify in a preliminary hearing. It was Peterson who first called 911 at 2:30 a.m. to report the injury to the victim, and then handed the phone to the victim. Peterson then fled with the firearm.
Peterson called El Cajon Police at 4 a.m. and surrendered in the park-ing lot of the Sears Auto Center in Parkway Plaza. Police recovered the weapon.
