No deal for Carly Gregg, accused of killing her mother and shooting her stepfather

BRANDON, Mississippi (Court TV) – A teenager accused of killing her mother, ambushing her stepfather to shoot him and inviting a friend to see her mother's body will stand trial after rejecting an offer from prosecutors to confess.

Carly Gregg, 15, has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and tampering with evidence in the shooting that killed her mother, Ashley Smylie, and injured her stepfather. At a hearing Tuesday, Gregg was called to the podium and asked if she agreed to a plea deal offered by the state.

Prosecutors had offered Gregg a deal that would have given him 40 years in prison for the murder and dropped the other two charges. Gregg's lawyer said she rejected the offer, and when Judge Dewey K. Arthur asked her if she understood what she was doing, she replied, “Yes, sir.”

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If convicted, Gregg faces life in prison for the murder, 20 to life for the attempted murder and 10 years for tampering with evidence.

Judge Arthur had estimated that the trial would last three days, but the defense warned that they needed more time and requested a total of four to five days. The judge granted the request, but told the attorneys, “This jury is paid a whopping $25 a day, so you will drag this case out at your own peril. However, I will give each side plenty of time to argue their case.”

Gregg is due back in court on September 10 for a motion hearing, which will include moving her case to juvenile court.