20 for 20: Smith Trial Verdict (2014)

To celebrate our 20th anniversary of Lakeland News, we’re taking a look back at some of the memorable local stories we’ve covered over the years. We’re calling it 20 For 20 – twenty stories in all, one for each of the twenty years we’ve been on the air with Lakeland News.

Tonight, we look at the year 2014. A story that captured national attention was the Byron Smith murder trial in Little Falls. Smith shot and killed two teenagers who had broken into his home, and the case centered around the “castle doctrine,” which allows a homeowner to defend his home with lethal force. The prosecution claimed Smith used excessive force and that aspects of the shootings were premeditated. Smith was convicted and is currently serving his sentence in Oak Park Heights Prison.

The reporter who covered this story, Scott Sheahen, is currently working as a multimedia journalist for KERO-TV in Bakersfield, California.