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Man sentenced to 19 years for killing brother

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — David Ramsey turned to his mother in court Wednesday and apologized for killing his brother.
 
"Momma, I'm truly sorry.  I don't know what else I can say," he said.
 
Two years ago, David Ramsey got high on drugs and bath salts and got aggressive with his mother, who is a retired Gaston County police officer.
 
His brother, Kevin Ramsey, tried to step in to protect their mother.
   
David Ramsey grabbed the gun their mother used when she was an officer and shot his brother in the head twice.
 
"This is shameful for me as well as my family. I brought this on myself as well as them," he said. "For the record I loved my brother."
 
While he appeared to be ready to accept responsibility, David Ramsey asked for a shorter sentence.
      
He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
     
He hoped for as little as 10 years in prison, but the judge sentenced him to 19 years.
 
His mother said she was pleased to finally hear David Ramsey apologize.
 
"It really put a good feeling in my heart to hear him say that," Brenda Ramsey said.
     
But she said her heart was still broken over the loss of her son Kevin.
      
She also suffers from lung cancer and believes she's seen the last of David Ramsey as a free man.
 
"There will never be closure in this case. There is too much involved," Brenda Ramsey said.
 
David Ramsey must enter a drug treatment program in prison as part of his sentence.
 
His mother said she hopes he takes any education programs available in prison so that he can turn his life around.