The man cleared of shooting Bermudian soccer star Charles Lyndon Fubler was jailed for 105 years in Augusta yesterday for gunning down two other people at the same time.

And now Mark Lorenzo Squires, a Los Angeles gang member, faces the death penalty if convicted of his part in three murders in North Carolina.

Squires received one of the highest sentences for an individual crime and is likely never to be released.

But there was frustration for Mr. Fubler and his family who flew to Georgia for the hearing.

His mother, Eleanor Joell, told the court before Squires was sentenced: "All of Bermuda is frustrated today. Somebody pulled that trigger, somebody shot my son. As far as I'm concerned, justice has not been served.'' On Wednesday, Squires was acquitted of shooting Fubler, who suffered a wound to the head -- resulting in a long and painful recovery for the former Bermuda Policeman turned sports student.

He was shot in 1995, when Squires -- already on parole for a Colorado shooting -- gunned down Mr. Fubler's friend Sheila Kitchens and her brother George Kitchens, who was 12 at the time.

At Richmond County Superior Court yesterday, Judge J. Carlisle Overstreet said: "I can't think of a more vile crime. I have no alternative than to do whatever I can to protect society.'' Mr. Fubler was a senior on an athletic scholarship at Augusta State University in November 1995. He was the school's top scorer. In November 1995, he was just friends, not dating Ms Kitchens.

His testimony won him praise from prosecutors yesterday.

District Attorney Bill Flemming said: "Mr. Fubler was outstanding on the stand. He was very courageous.

Gangster jailed in Augusta "I don't think the verdict is easy to understand, except to say American juries do strange things. I don't think the judge discounted Mr. Fubler's testimony, 105 years is the highest individual sentence I have ever had or even heard of.

"Our ultimate goal is to remove this man from society as long as possible. We did our absolute best. I don't anticipate that he will be paroled in Georgia.

Not in his lifetime.'' The jury convicted Squires of burglary, two counts kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

Mr. Fubler had stopped by the Kitchens' home the morning of November 13, 1995, to give George a ride to school. Then a second car pulled into the drive and Ms Kitchens and George screamed at him to run because "they'' had guns.

Mr. Fubler did not stop to look, but ran for his life. He testified that he did not see the man who shot him in the back of the head.

Although Mr. Squires was acquitted of the aggravated assault charge involving Mr. Fubler, a second man who took part in the attack, Daniel Downing, was convicted of all charges and is now serving 55 years.

Ms Kitchens was paralysed after the shooting, but her brother made a full recovery. Squires was caught last fall, following his arrest in North Carolina for three murders in two cities, a June 12 slaying in New Bern and a July 4 double homicide in Greenville.

He still faces murder charges in those two cities, and will face a possible death sentence if convicted in Greenville.

Squires will be transported back to North Carolina to faces charges, now that his Richmond County Superior Court case is concluded.

Sandy Hodson is a reporter for the Augusta Chronicle