Sandra Layne Convicted: Mich. grandmother found guilty of second-degree murder in grandson's shooting death

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Sandra Layne testifying in the Oakland County Circuit Courtroom in Pontiac, Mich. on March 13, 2013.

/ AP/Paul Sancya

(CBS/AP) PONTIAC, Mich. - A jury has convicted Sandra Layne, a 75-year-old Detroit-area woman, of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of her teenage grandson.

PICTURES: Grandma convicted of murdering grandson

Jurors on Tuesday rejected Layne's claim that she shot 17-year-old Jonathan Hoffman in self-defense during an argument at their West Bloomfield Township home last spring.

Layne fired 10 rounds at her grandson, striking him six times.

She testified that she shot him after he struck her during an argument. Layne says he had demanded $2,000 and her car so that he could flee Michigan because he had failed a drug test earlier that day, which could have been a probation violation.

Prosecutors played a 911 call from Hoffman in which he pleaded for help, saying his grandmother had shot him, before she shot him again with the dispatcher listening.

Complete Coverage of Sandra Layne on Crimesider

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by lokibear2 March 20, 2013 5:26 PM EDT: First of all they proved he did not want the car to flee. Secondly she followed and kept shooting including while 911 was listening and he was begging for his life. She deserves everything she gets - she planned this.; Reply to this comment

by lindsaygr March 20, 2013 2:04 PM EDT

A 75 year old woman took in a stranger, a kid who was using illegal drugs - almost 60 years divided them - and who had been arrested and hospitalized on
at least one occasion because of his use of said illegal drugs.

There are details that probably will not emerge until later, but I as I call it:

Jonathan Hoffman put his own life at risk. He had free room and board, free meals, etc., while his wealthy parents moved to Arizona and he wanted to remain in Michigan.

The woman, the grandmother was no physical match for a 17 year old.

As I call it, once the first blow is struck, FEAR, the instinct to survive takes over, and you keep fighting for your life, even if it means the attacker will perish.

Jonathan Hoffman lived with the elderly grandparents for a year, they knew, first hand, of what he was like. Too bad that he did not do the right thing, study, get a part-time job and graduate.

As for shooting him multiple times: So? If the first shot had gone through his brain, end of struggle.

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by jmoneygreatest March 20, 2013 11:55 PM EDT: Yeah, except the paramedics found no sign of any injury on her. She murdered this kid and deserves to die in jail.


by bfree100 March 20, 2013 1:20 PM EDT: This was the right verdict, grandma got a little trigger happy and showed intent to do bodily harm. After the first two shots granny should of called 911. The grandson was no longer a threat.

Bye granny, hope you like prison for the next 15 years......; Reply to this comment


by jarrellkaren March 20, 2013 9:45 AM EDT: She should have stopped when he was on the phone with 911. Was she in a state of mind that she was beyond reality by then, but that is no excuse. And yes there was many times I was scared of my son. But I removed the gun from the house and had the state get involved, by the way was hard for me to do cause they wouldn't help at first. So yes I think she should go to jail for what she did. She had plenty of time while he was on the phone to run away. My prayers go out to the family.I will pray for her grandson and for her.; Reply to this comment

by GeralenG March 19, 2013 10:25 PM EDT

Have you ever lived with a drug-using, angry teenager? Extreme to the max. It's a wonder that more of them aren't shot dead by parents and adults they live with who get pushed beyond a limit they didn't even know they needed to have. There but for the grace of God go many of us who are totally relieved when the flipped out loved one finally moves out or moves on. I continue to pray for Gramma...she needs it.

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by LosAngelesCA March 20, 2013 10:22 AM EDT: I don't doubt she was stressed. That is NO excuse to kill someone. It's not like she shot once. She kept following him and shooting him. He called the police. She should have called the police. The kid was not chasing her. She belongs in jail. She killed her own grandkid in cold blood.

by john92021 March 19, 2013 7:52 PM EDT

I feel so much safer now that granny with the glock is put away. We need to protect elder abusing, drug dealers from old people. Granny should have saved the last round for herself so as not to give the righteous their satisfaction.

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by LosAngelesCA March 19, 2013 8:41 PM EDT: I hope you're being sarcastic because if not, I hope your grandmother shoots you dead. She followed him with the gun. She could have shot him and called the police, but no, she followed him and kept shooting. I don't know about your state, but in some states, if there is no clear and present danger, you can't shoot.


by Jonseen March 19, 2013 10:44 PM EDT: She planned ahead, bought this gun not too long before the incident. It wasn't entirely spontaneous, a spur-of-the-moment response to elder abuse... No, I don't buy it. If she felt she needed a gun because of her grandson, I think it would have been a wiser move to give him back to his parents. I think this is one scary grandma. The kid might have been scary too, but look where he got it from.


by waveman25 March 20, 2013 11:26 PM EDT: She should have saved the first round for herself. Just looking at her you can tell she's bat sh_t crazy.


by LosAngelesCA March 19, 2013 7:30 PM EDT: Good. I heard the tape. What a freaking witch. I hope she dies in jail.; Reply to this comment

by freewillybird March 19, 2013 6:51 PM EDT

did he really demand $2000 and a car after he flunked a drug test while on probation from a prior conviction? would he have attacked her after being shot, if she did not shoot more? was he only calling 911 because after she shot him, she still had the gun pointed at him? In other words, did he call 911 only because he was losing the battle?

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by LosAngelesCA March 19, 2013 7:32 PM EDT: You obviously know nothing about the story. Try to find the 911 tape. It's quite clear what granny was doing. He begged for his life and she kept shooting him. Can't remember what that witch said but I am glad she's going to jail.


by Admiral_Obvious March 19, 2013 7:54 PM EDT: Um. Losing the battle? He was murdered in cold blood, whilst pleading for his life, and calling 911. He wasn't a model citizen. Does that mean he deserved to be murdered?

You've got some wacky logic going on here.

by aubfmet March 19, 2013 5:46 PM EDT

She will suffer enough without going to jail. She should be sentenced to home detention. Don't make the taxpayers pay.

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by deuelpete March 19, 2013 6:32 PM EDT: Now you tell me and by the way I am 74 and a Grandmother how would this Grandmother suffer enough without going to jail???? I wish she would have been charged with first degree murder.


by krj9 March 19, 2013 6:59 PM EDT: I'm 60. does that qaulify me for home detention if I kill someone? I want you on my jury


by LosAngelesCA March 19, 2013 7:31 PM EDT: What is wrong with you? ANYONE who murders someone else should be locked in jail. Period.


by Admiral_Obvious March 19, 2013 7:56 PM EDT: Yeah, no. I'd prefer my cold-blooded killers in jail, thanks.


by waveman25 March 20, 2013 11:28 PM EDT: Cold blooded killer. Deserves life in prison, which is probably what she got. Good riddance.


by krj9 March 19, 2013 5:34 PM EDT: Just becaues you old does not mean you can chase someone down and shoot them to death. She could have stopped at any time after she shot him the first time; Reply to this comment