The man convicted of brutally raping, assaulting, and leaving a teenage girl for dead outside a public library eight years ago may be eligible for a reduced sentence next month, following a recent Supreme Court ruling.

Kendrick Morris, initially sentenced to 65 years in prison for a brutal assault, returned to court last month seeking a reduced sentence. His request came in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found lengthy sentences for juvenile offenders unconstitutional unless they have a chance at parole.

However, a re-sentencing hearing doesn’t guarantee leniency—and in Morris’s case, it led to a harsher outcome. Instead of a reduced term, the judge sentenced him to life in prison.

“I want to call it a victory, but it feels wrong to say that,” said Anna Donato, the sister of Queena Phu, Morris’s victim. “I do believe justice was served. But the truth is, both lives are now sentenced to life. It’s just heartbreaking for everyone involved.”

The attack occurred in 2008, when Queena, then 18, was returning books at the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library in Valrico. Morris dragged her behind the building and violently raped and beat her, leaving her permanently blind, paralyzed, and unable to speak.

Judge Chet Tharpe grew emotional as he read the case details aloud in court.

“These crimes were particularly atrocious and cruel,” the judge said. “A life sentence is the only fitting punishment here.”

After the hearing, Donato reflected on the day of the attack.

“It’s never easy to relive that day,” she said. “But it serves as a painful reminder of how horrific the crime was.”

Morris also received a life sentence for another rape he committed in 2007. Queena’s family had long hoped he would be given life without parole.

“We know it won’t change anything for Queena,” Donato said. “But she deserves closure. And caring for her is a lifelong responsibility.”

Although some psychologists had argued that Morris showed signs of rehabilitation, Judge Tharpe ultimately disagreed.