FORT WORTH, Texas — The Tarrant County jury that convicted a former student of attempted capital murder in a 2021 shooting at Timberview High School has sentenced him to 12 years in prison.
After hearing two days of testimony and closing arguments Monday, the jury began deliberations around 1 p.m. for the sentence of Timothy Simpkins. The jury's decision came down just before 6 p.m.
The 12-person panel found Simpkins guilty in the Oct. 6, 2021 shooting that injured three people during class.
You can watch the sentencing hearing here and eventual verdict here:
Simpkins' friends, family, and former teachers testified Friday. Prosecutors also questioned law enforcement analysts and detectives.
Simpkins faces up to life in prison.
Closing arguments in the criminal trial ended Thursday. The jury deliberated for about nine hours.
The trial began on Monday, July 17, at the Tarrant County Courthouse. Over a three-day period, the jury heard testimony from witnesses at the school, including a teacher who was shot.
Simpkins did not testify in his defense on Wednesday, but he did take the stand during his sentencing trial on Monday, July 24.
Timberview High School shooting trial background
Day 1
Simpkins' attorneys did not give an opening statement to the jury when the trial started on the morning of Monday, July 17, at the Tarrant County Courthouse in Fort Worth. After prosecutors outlined their case during opening statements, they called their first witnesses from a long list of people who could possibly be called to testify in the case, which included Mrs. Altman, a Timberview High School English teacher.
Prosecutors used cellphone video as part of the evidence in the trial against Simpkins.
Altman told jurors that she decided to let student Zac Selby into the classroom despite him arriving late. She also shared that he had not been in class enough to complete a threat assessment evaluation on him. Altman told the court Selby immediately approached Simpkins in the classroom and that’s when the fight ensued, which eventually turned to shots being fired allegedly by Simpkins.
During the fight itself, Timberview coach Dean Boyd responded to Altman’s calls for help. When he arrived in her classroom, Boyd broke up the fight between Simpkins and Selby.
During Boyd's testimony, the assistant district attorney called him down from the witness stand to demonstrate for jurors the body language of Simpkins and then how he warned teachers and students.
Gunfire left Selby injured and one of their classmates grazed by a bullet.
Prosecutors also put Timberview English teacher Calvin Pettit on the stand to tell jurors about his gunshot wound. Pettit’s classroom is down the hallway from Altman. He also heard her calls for help.
One of the bullets struck Pettit, who went down immediately. He learned about his injury after regaining his composure.
Pettit also disclosed to the court that the shooting left him with post-traumatic stress, which has impacted his ability to enjoy his passion for teaching. Despite being rushed to the emergency room after the shooting and undergoing surgery, the bullet that struck him remains lodged in his shoulder for now.
Despite forgoing opening statements, Simpkins' attorneys made repeated objections to testimony from witnesses for the prosecution.
Monday’s testimony ended with statements from the FBI, which also responded to the shooting. The list of witnesses for the prosecution includes more than 40 local law enforcement personnel, 11 FBI personnel, and at least 40 civilians, which includes teachers and students from Timberview.
Day 2
On the second day of the trial, prosecutors showed jurors the dramatic video of the shooting inside Timberview. The video was difficult to watch and silenced the courtroom as it played.
According to prosecutors, the video shows Simpkins shooting Selby in a hallway after their fist fight.
Prosecution witnesses on day two included students and teachers like coach Jeremy Walker, who ran to an office where he found a frightened co-worker.
"I literally crawled on the floor, she was crying so I heard her. So, I just crawled to her and held hands and we cried together," Walker said.
Student Shaniya McNeely testified about getting grazed by a bullet while running for safety.
"When I was running, I felt a quick flash. It was just a really fast burn and that is when I stopped but a teacher kept telling me we have to go, we have to go," McNeely said.
The prosecution rested its case late Tuesday morning.
Before court resumed in the afternoon, Selby went before the judge. Defense attorneys accused Selby of intimidating a witness and making social posts.
Day 3
On the third day of the trial, the defense called one witness, a student who recorded the fight between Simpkins and Selby. Defense attorneys then rested their case.
The trial, however, hit an hours-long delay after defense attorneys challenged what deliberation instructions the judge should give the jury for the charges in this case.
The judge excluded the self-defense argument in the instructions, which means Simpkins' attorneys cannot claim self-defense nor mention it in their closing arguments.
Prosecutors charged Simpkins with attempted capital murder, but the judges' instructions also include an option of aggravated assault.
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