BRANDON, Miss. — A 15-year-old girl accused of fatally shooting her mother, a high school math teacher, and later ambushing her stepfather, appeared in court on Tuesday, where she rejected a plea deal that could have resulted in a 40-year prison sentence. Instead, she opted to proceed to trial, facing the possibility of two life sentences.

The defendant, Carly Gregg, who was 14 years old at the time of the incident, is charged with the murder of her mother, Ashley Smylie, a teacher at Northwest Rankin High School, on March 19. During a pretrial conference held at the Rankin County Circuit Court, Judge Dewey Arthur reviewed the state’s last plea offer, which involved a 40-year sentence in the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the dismissal of two additional charges in the indictment.

“For the record, what was the last recommendation of the State of Mississippi?” Judge Arthur asked as Gregg approached the podium alongside her defense attorney.

“The state recommended 40 years […] in the Mississippi Department of Corrections and agreed to nolle pros counts 2 and 3 of the indictment,” an off-camera voice responded, summarizing the plea deal that would have required Gregg to admit to the murder.

Gregg, addressing the court, confirmed that she understood the consequences of rejecting the plea offer. If convicted at trial, she could face two life sentences or a sentence of up to 93 years. “The jury will either acquit you or you’ll be facing two life sentences or this court can sentence you up to 93 years, do you understand that?” Judge Arthur asked, to which Gregg responded affirmatively.

Gregg’s trial is set to begin in September. The case has drawn significant attention due to the nature of the crime, the young age of the defendant, and the severe potential penalties involved.

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