Man gets life for killing jewelry store owner

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A South Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison plus 120 years for killing a West Palm Beach jewelry store owner during a robbery.

A Palm Beach County judge sentenced 51-year-old Kenneth Bernard Laws on Friday. He was convicted last month of first-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy and false imprisonment.

Authorities say Laws and two others participated in a July robbery that led to 44-year-old John Lauseng's death. Lauseng was shot twice in the back when he tried to escape.

As part of a deal, 41-year-old Hasan Jones pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last month and agreed to testify against Laws and 29-year-old Arron Smith, who has yet to be tried.

Jones claims he was the getaway driver and did not go into the store with the other two.

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