Man who armed Klebold, Harris 'very sorry' for school massacre

By Sue Lindsay and Karen Abbott
Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer

Victims' families satisfied with Manes' prison sentence

The gun seller who prosecutors say helped make the Columbine High massacre possible received a six-year prison sentence Friday.

Mark Manes, who hung his head during most of a three-hour sentencing hearing in Jefferson County District Court, showed no reaction as his sentence was read.

His lawyer, Robert Ransome, cried. He said Manes was a "scapegoat."

Manes is the first person sentenced in April 20 Columbine High School tragedy.

Dozens of victims' family members, who packed the courtroom, said they were satisfied. Some of them applauded after the judge left the bench and Manes was led off to jail in handcuffs.

The 22-year-old computer technician will be eligible for parole in two years.

"I truly feel that justice was served," said Connie Sanders, daughter of slain teacher Dave Sanders. "Although this does not heal the pain, it's a step in the right direction."

Manes pleaded guilty to providing a handgun to a minor and possession of a sawed-off shotgun.

The TEC-DC9 assault pistol and shotgun were among the four firearms used by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold during the April 20 rampage at Columbine in which 15 people diedand more than 20 were injured.

The gunmen then took their own lives.

Klebold fired the semi-automatic assault pistol 55 times, killing four and injuring two, prosecutor Steve Jensen said. Harris fired the sawed-off shotgun 25 times, killing four and injuring seven.

Manes sold Klebold the assault pistol for $500 after he and Harris met Manes at a gun show Jan. 23. A mutual friend, Philip Duran, introduced them. At the time, Klebold and Harris were both 17.

Duran faces the same charges as Manes, but hasn't entered a plea. He'll be in court Nov. 22.

The night before the Columbine shooting, Manes bought 100 rounds of ammunition for Harris, who told him he thought he might go shooting the next day.

After selling the killers the assault pistol, Manes went shooting in the mountains three times. A videotape seized from Harris and Klebold's homes shows Manes firing a sawed-off shotgun.

Manes told investigators that Harris fired the shotgun into a tree trunk and said, "Imagine that in someone's f------ brain," investigator Kate Battan said.

Manes said Klebold and Harris' hands were bloody after firing the sawed off shotguns.

Harris remarked, "When you saw off shotguns and make them illegal, bad things happen to you." Then Harris spanked his weapon and said, "Bad shotgun," Manes told investigators.

Battan also read a transcripted excerpt from a videotape Harris and Klebold made on March 15 that thanked Manes and Philip Duran for getting them the guns. The killers also urged police not to blame Manes and Duran for the rampage to come.

Manes told the judge he was "horrified" when he learned that the gun he had sold had been used in the Columbine shootings.

"I had no idea what was going to happen," he said. Prosecutors conceded there was no evidence that Manes knew what Harris and Klebold planned.

Manes said he wishes now he had listened to his family years ago when they warned him against guns, and now he wants nothing to do with firearms.

"There's no way I can adequately express my sorrow to the families," Manes said. "It's something I'll regret for the rest of my life. I am truly very sorry."

Ransome asked for a community corrections sentence, saying Manes was the wrong target to punish for Columbine.

"Harris and Klebold were the lone killers. They not only robbed these beautiful people of their beautiful children, but (by committing suicide) they robbed the community of the ability to punish them," Ransome said.

"If you single out Mark Manes and make him a scapegoat, that won't heal the community."

But prosecutor Steve Jensen and family members asked for a prison sentence.

"Mark Manes helped arm these killers," Jensen said. "On April 20, these killers were ready to commit their evil in part because Mark Manes made them ready."

Jensen said Manes had been arrested and charged with crimes nine times previously, beginning when he was 13. In 1991 and 1995, he was judged to be a juvenile delinquent.

"As a juvenile, he was a bully and a thug," Jensen said.

The charges included possessing metallic knuckles and drug paraphernalia, and threatening a classmate.

Jensen said Manes admitted he started selling marijuana when he was 16 and later dealt cocaine, amphetamines, LSD and other drugs. Jensen said Manes also admitted he used $80 to $140 a day worth of amphetamines, and that his drug sales to others netted him $800 daily.

Ransome said Manes suffered during his childhood because his parents were preoccupied with his two older adopted brothers. Both were mentally retarded and suffered from organic brain dysfunctions, Ransome said.

"There was nothing left for Mark," Ransome said. "He became psychologically neglected."

He said Manes eventually was hospitalized, "close to suicide," but later turned his life around, gave up drugs, dedicated himself to school and became a computer programmer.

Manes' parents, Mike and Diann, attended the sentencing but declined to comment. His mother wept after the sentence was imposed.

Ralph Gansemer, grandfather of slain student Daniel Rohrbough, also broke down. He rejected Manes' contention that he had no idea how the gun would be used.

"The idea that it was for target practice is ludicrous," he said. "My biggest regret is that you can't be charged with murder."

Jefferson County District Judge Henry Nieto said a prison sentence was necessary because the consequences of Manes' crime were too severe to merit probation.

"The harm that occurred because of the actions that were put in motion by the conduct of the defendant -- and that is this tragedy at Columbine -- is almost too great to comprehend.

"We cannot divorce the defendant's action of selling this firearm from the consequences of that sale."