Teenage girl gets life in prison By Julian Burrell A San Diego teenage girl called "soulless" in court has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her stepfather. Judge Frederic Link delivered his sentence to Brae Hansen, 19, for conspiring with her brother, Nathaniel Gann, 20, to orchestrate the murder of 63-year-old defense attorney Timothy MacNeil. After a lengthy session in San Diego County Superior Court, Link ordered Hansen to spend the rest of her life in prison without the possibility of parole. MacNeil's two children worked in tandem to ambush and kill their stepfather inside his home in 2006, said prosecutor George Bennett. The siblings conspired to kill him in order to gain their inheritance, Bennett said. MacNeil was shot three times by stepson Gann before being hit with a fourth bullet, execution-style, in the head, said Hansen defense attorney Troy Britt. During the sentencing hearing, Bennett said Hansen talked about suicide only when it was convenient for her. "The only thing she cares about in the whole God-damned world is herself," he said. Hansen said the prosecutor's comments were wrong and hurtful. She then pleaded to Link between sobs: "Please don't let me die in prison." Several of MacNeil's family members spoke, including MacNeil's girlfriend, Kim Bieda. "(Hansen) plotted and planned and knew exactly what she was doing," said Bieda. "She is and always will be a danger to society." MacNeil's brother, Rick MacNeil, said he would never forgive Hansen for killing his brother. Rick MacNeil said he wondered how anyone could have compassion for her after what she did. Link repeatedly said he did not understand why Hansen killed her stepfather. "It's a tragedy," Link said. "Just a tragedy that two young people would do this to a loved one." • • • Vox is the newspaper of the 2009 CCNMA-San Diego Multicultural Journalism Workshop. Return to index | See also: Vox on Blogspot