BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – After an emotional day in court on Monday, Tamera Laws was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 2020 killing of her grandmother, Doris Ruth Novella.
Laws, who was convicted of murder in February following a bench trial, returned to court to ask for leniency. She was joined by family members as well as doctors who pleaded with the judge to consider her mental health struggles and troubled past.
“I would do anything for my grandma. I loved her to death,” Laws said during her testimony. “I ask for a second chance. I will do everything in my power to learn from my mistakes.”
Prosecutors had asked Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl to impose a 50-year sentence. Laws’ defense team instead sought a reduction to manslaughter and probation, arguing that she was suffering from untreated psychosis and hallucinations at the time of the killing.
In February 2020, Laws choked, stabbed and repeatedly struck Novella, 70, with a hammer, resulting in her death. Laws later testified she believed her grandmother was going to kill her.
Family members, including Laws’ mother and brother, also took the stand on Monday in support of her.
“She’s a good person,” Lisa Jones, Laws’ mother, said. “She has a good heart and is always helping others.
Octavian Jones, Laws’ brother, said his sister is “a good, loving person.”
“We all make mistakes,” Octavian Jones said. “I do love my sister to death. I will always love her and support her.”
Ultimately, Judge Torres-Stahl sentenced Laws to 20 years, citing both the tragedy of Novella’s death and Laws’ history of trauma and mental health issues.
“I do believe you have suffered a very tragic life, even at the hands of people around you,” Torres-Stahl said. “But you did have a grandmother who showed you some love and respect. Tragically, that’s the person that you murdered.”
Laws plans to appeal her conviction. Under Texas law, she must serve at least half of her sentence before she is eligible for parole.
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