T.J. Lane, Chardon High School shooting suspect, expected to plead guilty, lawyer says

(CBS/AP) CHARDON, Ohio - An Ohio teenager charged with killing three school students at a high school cafeteria last year is expected to plead guilty Tuesday, his attorney said.

PICTURES:3 killed, 3 injured in Ohio high school shooting

T.J. Lane, 18, will enter the plea during a court hearing later Tuesday morning. His plea will come a day before the anniversary of the deadly shootings at Chardon High School, said attorney Ian Friedman. He declined to discuss the details of the plea deal, which has been in the works for weeks.

Both the defense and the prosecution sought court-ordered psychiatric testing for Lane to determine if he would be competent to stand trial.

Before the case went to adult court last year, a juvenile court judge ruled that Lane was mentally competent despite evidence he suffers from hallucinations, psychosis and fantasies.

Prosecutors said Lane took a .22-caliber pistol and a knife to the school on Feb. 27, 2012, and fired 10 shots at a group of students in the cafeteria. Investigators said he admitted shooting at students but said he didn't know why he did it. 

Lane attended an alternative school for students who haven't done well in traditional schools. He was at Chardon waiting for a bus.

The charges filed against him include three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of attempted aggravated murder.

He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted. He isn't eligible for the death penalty because he was 17-years-old at the time of the shootings, even though he was charged as an adult. Friedman said Tuesday he expects Lane to be sentenced in about three weeks.

Complete coverage of T.J. Lane on Crimesider