This guy deserves to be strung up by his balls. No business raising
kids. 6 guns unsecured in his house with 3 kids. Did he have faith
that God wouldn't let anything happen?


TOMS RIVER, N.J. —

The father of a 4-year-old New Jersey boy who shot to death a
6-year-old neighbor with his father's unsecured gun rejected a plea
bargain Monday that would have required him to serve seven years in
prison.

Anthony Senatore of Toms River pleaded not guilty in state Superior
Court to six counts of child endangerment.

Senatore, 34, is accused of keeping a loaded .22-caliber rifle
unsecured in his bedroom. That's where his son found it in April, took
it outside, and shot 6-year-old Brandon Holt once in the head.

Senator's lawyer, Robert Ebberup, says Senatore is "deeply horrified
over what took place and feels awful about it."

"His feelings go out to the family," Ebberup said. "Brandon Holt was a
wonderful, wonderful little boy. We just hope that he's in heaven
right now; we're sure he is."

But the lawyer said Senatore should not have been charged with a
crime.

"This is a civil case," he said. "This does not belong in a criminal
courtroom."

Senatore did not speak during the hearing.

Prosecutors have offered Senatore a plea deal in which he would serve
seven years in state prison. He rejected that offer and plans to
proceed toward trial, his lawyer said.

"We don't feel that jail is something that is appropriate," Ebberup.

Senatore faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

In addition to the gun used in the shooting, Senatore is charged with
keeping five other guns unsecured in his house, where prosecutors say
they were accessible to his children, ages 12, 8 and 4.

Holt's family has filed a lawsuit against Senatore and his wife
seeking more than $1 million, claiming their actions were reckless.

Though Toms River is in Ocean County, the prosecutor's office in
neighboring Atlantic County is handling the case at the direction of
the state attorney general's office. The switch was made because
several members of Senatore's family have worked in law enforcement in
Ocean County.

The next hearing in the case was scheduled for Jan. 27.