THE INVESTIGATION.
>>> ANOTHER TOP STORY WE ARE
FOLLOWING.
DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT IN A
JACKSONVILLE MURDE CASE.
>> SOMEBODYING IN COURT AS THE
MOTHER OF HIS VICTIM DESCRIBES
THE DAUGHTER HE TOOK FROM HER
ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO.
JAMES RHODES WILL NOW SPEND THE
REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON FOR
THE MURDER OF SHELBY GUNNED
DOWN DURING A ROBBERY ATTEMPT
AT BRENTWOOD METRO P CS STORE
WHERE SHE WORKED.
HER MOTHER RELIEVED TO FINALLY
HAVE THE PAINFUL CHAPTER
CLOSED.
>> GIVES ME A LITTLE PEACE BUT
THE MAIN THING IS I FEEL LIKE
IT WOULD HELP MY CHILDREN.
>>Reporter: DARLENE ALSO SAYS
SHE WILL MOTEL WITH RHODES IN
PERSON ONE-ON-ONE NEXT
WEDNESDAY THOUGH SHE DIDN'T
SHARE WHAT SHE INTENDS TO SAY
TO HIM.
>> DID RHODES PLEADED GUILTY TO
FIRST DEGREE MURDER IN SHELBY'S
KILLING.
BEGAN JULY 20, 2013 THIS VIDEO
SHOWS YOUNG STORE MANAGER JUST
MINUTES BEFORE SHE WAS KILLED
OUTSIDE THE BRENTWOOD CELL
PHONE STORE.
KAHN CLEARLY SEE RHODES CASING
THE BUSINESS WAITING FOR THE
CROWDS TO LEAVE THAT'S WHEN
RHODES WENT INSIDE AND ROBBED
HER AT GUN POINT THEN FIRED 4
ROUNDS KILLING HER.
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF THE
DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE
WIDELY WATCHED CRIMINAL CASE
BEGINNING WITH CHRIS.
>> MESSAL MOMENTS IN COURT THIS
MORNING.
JAMES RHODES FELL TO THE
COURTROOM FLOOR AS DARLENE FAR
WRIST SPOKE ABOUT HER DAUGHTER
AND THE IMPACT HER MURDER HAS
HAD.
SOME FAMILY MEMBERS HAD TO
LEAVE TO COMPOSE THEMSELVES.
RHODES NOW SPEND THE REST OF
HIS LIFE BEHIND BARS.
>> YOU KNOW, I FEEL VERY
STRONGLY THAT THIS RESOLUTION
ENSURES THE SAFETY OF THE
PUBLIC.
IT BRINGS IF I NATURALLY TO
CASE LITIGATED FOR ALMOST 4
YEARS, FINALITY.
IT PROVIDES CERTAINTY IN THE
OUT COME AND VERY IMPORTANTLY,
IT RESPECTS THE WISHES OF
DARLENE, THE MOM.
>>Reporter: THE STATE ATTORNEY
MADE HER DECISION HER
PREDECESSOR WOULDN'T.
TAKE THE DEATH PENALTY OFF THE
TABLE.
FOR YEARS DARLENE PUSHED HER TO
DO THAT BUT SHE REFUSED.
NELSON SAYS SHE FOLLOWED THE
CASE BEFORE TAKING OFFICE.
>> I WAS TROUBLED THAT THE MY
PREDECESSOR HAD SAID THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DARLENE
AND HER OFFICE HAD BECOME
STRAINED.
IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVEN IF WE DISAGREE
WITH DARLENE, SHE AND HER
CHILDREN FELT THAT OFFICE
RESPECT THEM AND LISTENING TO
THEM.
>>Reporter: MELISSA NELSON
SAID SHE DOESN'T FEEL THAT THIS
DECISION SETS A PRECEDENT FOR
FUTURE CASES AS IT RELATES TO
THE WISHES OF VICTIMS FAMILY
MEMBERS.
SHE SAYS THAT EVERY CASE AND
EVERY DECISION ABOUT ACCEPTING
A ME DEAL OR NOT WILL BE BASED
ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH
INDIVIDUAL CASE.
CHRIS, CHANNEL 4, THE LOCAL
STATION.
>> ASHLEY WAS ALSO IN THE
COURTROOM TODAY AND HAS
EMOTIONAL REACTION FROM SHELB
EMOTIONAL REACTION FROM
SHELBY'S FAMILY.
>>> SHELBY'S YOUNGER SIBLINGS
BOTH IN THE COURTROOM WHERE
STATE ATTORNEY MELISSA NELSON
READ VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS
ON THEIR BEHALF TO THE JUDGE.
THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN RHODES
SOBBED.
LISTENING TO WHAT WAS SAID
ABOUT SHELBY.
BUT THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENT
CAME WHEN DARLENE SPOKE
DIRECTLY TO HER DAUGHTER'S
KILLER.
>> I WAS SO ANGRY I COULDN'
FOCUS.
I KEPT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO TAKE YOU OUT MYSELF IN THE
COURTROOM
TISHLTION AFTER A RECESS THE
MOM ONCE AGAIN SPOKE TO RHODES
SAYING SHE FOR GAVE HIM.
SHE SAYS THAT HAPPENED ONE YEAR
AFTER THE MURDER.
SOMETHING SHE NEEDED TO DO.
>> IT WAS LIKE I JUST KEPT
RUNNING AND DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK
BACK AND STATE THAT MY DAUGHTER
IS NOT GOING TO WALK BACK
THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AGAIN.
I REALIZED OKAY IT WAS LIKE A
TON OF BRICKS LIFTED OFF MY
SHOULDER.
I FOR GAVE HIM.
>>Reporter: SHE BELIEVES
RHODES IS REMORSEFUL BUT SAYS
HE STILL M US PAY FOR WHAT HE
DID.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS
THROUGHOUT THAT HAVE HAD ROUGH
CHILD HAD HAD AND THEY ARE NOT
OUT KILLING PEOPLE.
HE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW WRONG
FROM RIGHT.
>>Reporter: WITH THIS NOW
BEHIND THEM, SHE AND HER
CHILDREN SAY THEY ARE READY TO
BEGIN HEALING.
ABOVE ALL THEY WANT PEOPLE TO
REMEMBER SHELBY FOR THE WAY SHE
LIVED NOT THE WAY SHE DIED.
DARLENE SAYS SHE STILL HAS MUCH
SHE WANTS TO SAY TO HIM AND
PLANS TO MEET WITH RHODES
ONE-ON-ONE TO FURTHER DISCUSS
THOSE MOMENTS NEARLY 4 YEARS
AGO IN THE METRO P CS STORE.
SHE SAYS THAT WILL HAPPEN AT A
LATER DATE.
I'M ASHLEY HARDING, CHANNEL 4,
THE LOCAL STATION.
>>> VIC STOOD BY DARLENE AS SHE
VISITED HER DAUGHTER'S GRAVE
TODAY.
SHE TOLD HIM SHE FINALLY HAS
CLOSURE.
>> WHETHER DOES IT MEAN TO
FINALLY BE OVER?
>> I FEEL LIKE SHELBY CAN REST
IN PEACE NOW.
IT'S OVER.
I DON'T HAVE TO THE GO BACK AND
FORTH TO COURT AND FACE THE
PERSON THAT TOOK HER LIFE AWAY.
>>Reporter: COMING UP AT 6:00