Murder Trial

A stiff sentence was handed down on Wednesday in a Long Island murder trial. A 22-year-old Long Island man found guilty of murdering an off-duty New York City firefighter received a sentence of 25-years-to-life. The Suffolk County District Attorney says William Sodders will serve the sentence in state prison. A Centereach resident, Sodders was convicted of killing firefighter James Halverson in January 1997. Halverson was running at Centereach High School when he was shot. Sodders told police he gunned down Halverson because friends dared him to. A Co-defendant in the case will receive his sentence Friday. 19-year-old Eric Calvin faces three to nine years in state prison for driving the get-away car.