Nathaniel Brazill dismayed his lawyers by showing little emotion on the stand during his murder trial for shooting Barry Grunow, his seventh-grade English teacher. With the stakes high, the 14-year-old boy will get another chance Thursday during his sentencing hearing, when he'll read a statement begging for lenience.

Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Richard Wennett, who presided over the May trial in which Brazill was convicted of second-degree murder, can give the teen 25 years to life behind bars. He will hear testimony from a host of other witnesses, including members of both the Brazill and Grunow families and two courtroom guards who will testify about the teen's erratic demeanor behind closed doors. The couple had two children, Sam, 6, and Lee-Ann, 2.

Some of the most emotional testimony will likely be given by the victim's widow, Pam Grunow, who only appeared in court sporadically during the trial and has refused to speak with the media.

Other Grunow family members are also expected to take the stand, including the victim's brother Kurt, who has repeatedly called for a life sentence.

To counter the force of this testimony, the defense will call both of the boy's parents.

Brazill shot Grunow, one of his favorite teachers, in a classroom doorway on May 26, 2000, the last day of classes before summer vacation at Lake Worth Middle School. The boy had been sent home that day for throwing water balloons and returned to school with a gun.

Prosecutor Marc Shiner said the killing was premeditated and pushed for a first-degree murder conviction. He called several witnesses who recalled threatening and ominous remarks made by Brazill after his suspension.

Defense lawyer Robert Udell argued that his client was only guilty of manslaughter because the shooting was accidental. He said Brazill brought the weapon to scare Grunow into letting him talk to a girl he had a crush on.

Although second-degree murder usually carries a slightly lesser sentence, Wennet ruled on June 29, six weeks after Brazill's May 16 conviction, that a controversial sentencing law known as "10-20-life" applied to Brazill's case.

The law enhances sentences for crimes committed with firearms — ensuring that offenders receive a minimum of 10 years without parole for criminal acts involving possession of a gun, a minimum of 20 years without parole for crimes in which a weapon is discharged, and a range of 25 years without parole to life if the firearm is shot and causes serious injury or death.

Wennett is not expected to sentence Brazill immediately after the testimony. He will likely schedule another court date and take some time to consider his judgment.

The teen's chances of a shorter jail term could be damaged by the testimony of two courtroom guards, Mark Chamberlain and Gary Dial, who witnessed his behavior in confinement.

The two guards told The South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Brazill often talked about hurting the jurors and the press covering the trial.

"If I don't like any of the jurors, could I shoot a couple of them?" Dial recalled Brazill asking him during a courtroom break.

"It was almost like he had a switch to turn on and off his demeanor," Chamberlain remarked.

The defense is expected to call three psychologists to testify about Brazill's mental state and prospects for rehabilitation. One other defense expert, Dr. Barry Heller, already testified because he could not appear at Thursday's hearing.

Heller said that Brazill expressed remorse for his crimes, exhibited no abnormal characteristics, and could be rehabilitated.

Shiner told Court TV that he considered Heller's testimony to be largely false.

"Dr. Heller testified that this young man was perfectly normal. I think that's ludicrous, if you have a young man who steals a gun from his family and is willing to pull it and pull the trigger," the prosecutor reasoned.

The case has attracted considerable controversy, both in Florida and on a national level, as juvenile justice advocates protest Brazill's trial as an adult while others urge harsh punishment.

Coalition for Justice, an umbrella organization of local churches and community groups, has been especially active, protesting his treatment as an adult in front of the courthouse during the trial. The group is led by Reverend Thomas Masters, who will probably testify during the sentencing hearing on behalf of the teen.

Wennett has reportedly received nearly 100 letters since the trial from citizens without a direct connection to the case, with about half advocating lenience and half calling for severity.

The sentencing hearing will be broadcast by Court TV starting at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to last all day.