TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — A paralyzed teenager in Mississippi has been sentenced to five years in prison in the shooting death of another teen he described as his best friend.

Keithan Griffin, 17, was sentenced Wednesday, a week after pleading guilty to culpable negligence manslaughter in the May 2017 death of Daiquarrias T. Pounds, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported.

Griffin was 16 when 19-year-old Pounds was killed. Griffin originally was charged with murder, but that charge was lowered as part of a plea agreement. Griffin was prosecuted as an adult.

Prosecutors recommended a 10-year sentence, but Circuit Court Judge Paul Funderburk said he cut that in half because Pounds’ family still loves Griffin.

Defense attorney Ed Blackmon said the shooting of Pounds was accidental and “grossly negligent” but said Griffin never intended to harm Pounds. Blackmon said the two teenagers were pretending to dodge bullets when a gun fired.

Blackmon described Griffin and Pounds as best friends. He said the friendship grew stronger after Griffin was paralyzed in a December 2016 shooting at a local park.

“They saw each other on a daily basis,” Blackmon said. ”(Pounds) helped him in and out of the wheelchair; in and out of the bed and helped him get dressed. The day of this incident, his best friend picked him (Griffin) up and carried him to the barber shop and back.

“I can’t explain the mind of a 16-year-old. They were holding the gun pretending to dodge bullets when it went off. What he did was reckless. It has taken part of his life and he is willing to take responsibility.”

After the shooting, Griffin remained on the scene, and witnesses described him as remorseful.

“From all we know, this was an accident — an accident caused by your gross negligence,” Funderburk said. “I had great difficulty understanding in your condition, after you were shot and paralyzed, how you could possess or even want to possess a deadly weapon.

“If you were as close to Mr. Pounds as I am led to believe, then you will suffer punishment in your own heart and mind for the rest of your life.”

Griffin was silent for most of the sentencing hearing, quietly responding “Yes, sir” and “No, sir” when the judge asked direct questions. In a brief statement, he admitted responsibility for killing Pounds.

“That was my best friend,” Griffin said. “He was like a brother to me. I never got close to anybody. Not close like me and him were."

Written by: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal