The seats filled up quickly and the courtroom was officially packed. People of all ages sat on their knees, anxious to hear the results.

Beautiful pictures of Courtney Parker were plastered onto poster boards with goodbye letters written by her friends. Teenagers and even parents were wearing T-shirts in memory of the late Granite Bay High School student.

In June 2007, Parker was just 15 when she was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Auburn-Folsom Road north of Douglas Blvd.

Anna Berset, who left the scene of the crime and called the police the day after – claiming that she didn’t realize exactly what had happened – was sentenced March 24 to three years in prison. A jury found her guilty of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and run in January.

Parker was a lively cheerleader who was diverse and outgoing. She was a friend to many and loved showing her beautiful smile in pictures. Her death impacted several different groups of people within the Granite Bay community.

Friends and family had been anticipating the trial for almost two years. Supporters of both sides were eager to hear the sentencing, which could have resulted in anything from probation up to four years in state prison.

Nancy Parker, Courtney’s mother, gave an emotional speech at the sentencing hearing. She said she would have been compassionate and stood behind Berset if she had been truthful from the beginning.

According to testimony in her trial, even after DNA evidence was found on Berset’s vehicle, she did not take responsibility for her actions.

“Had you done the right thing from the get-go, we wouldn’t be standing here today,” Nancy Parker said to Berset.

Parker also spoke about her family’s hardships since the death of her beloved daughter. Her son had graduated from high school eight days before Courtney’s death; he now suffers from anxiety attacks.

“This is torture,” Nancy Parker said. “This is a lifetime of torture.”

Tishika Parker, Courtney’s sister, also spoke about how her life has changed since her sister’s death.

Berset spoke to the public about the accident for the first time. She said she would trade places with Courtney in a second and apologized for causing her death. Prior to her trial, she had not apologized.

She also denied accusations that she had consumed alcohol on the night of the accident.

Berset said she was completely sober. She said she was distracted by her cell phone ringing, which caused the accident.

But Placer County prosecutor Jeff Wilson investigated and got all of her phone records, which indicated no incoming or outgoing calls during the time of the accident.

Berset’s mother spoke on behalf of her daughter and told the judge and audience that Berset was not guilty, claiming Anna thought it was a rock that hit her car.

“She (also) told the judge that ‘Courtney paid the price for being out in the dark,’ which upset all of us,” junior Erica Azevedo said. “The whole (Berset) family still doesn’t understand that they need to stop playing the blame game.”

Berset’s mother pleaded with the judge not to take her daughter away.

“The way (Berset’s) mom spoke really angered a lot of us,” junior Ally Grein said. “It was clear that Anna’s family didn’t have any remorse for what she did, they just didn’t want her to go to jail.”

The presiding judge made it clear probation would not be an option for a crime of this magnitude. He went through all of the factors that affected his decision and then finally arrived at the verdict of three years in state prison.

The room erupted into applause upon hearing the sentence. Most observers were happy because Berset could have received a lighter sentence, but some said they still don’t think three years is enough for causing Parker’s death.

“I think she should serve more years, but it’s better than community service,” Azevedo said.

Nancy and Tishika Parker said they would also support making the penalties for hit-and-run drivers harsher.

“It’s the same as murder, it’s just using a car,” Tishika said.

Many of Courtney’s friends said there isn’t a sentence that can fix the damage that has been done.

“There is nothing Mrs. Berset could have gotten that would make up for the pain everyone felt when she hit Courtney and knowingly left her there,” senior Mason Mullaney said.

Junior Jillian Halverstadt agreed.

“Nothing would equal out to all the years of Courtney’s life she took away,” Halverstadt said.

Berset was immediately taken into custody after the hearing, and her supporters exited the courtroom quickly and quietly.

Outside the courtroom, news cameras and reporters wanted to capture every moment. Parker’s supporters cried and hugged each other, relieved it was finally over.

“I was (happy) because I knew that the Parkers would finally get some closure,” Mullaney said.

Although Grein said she thought the sentencing helped bring the case to a conclusion, she doesn’t think it helped with the pain.

“It still doesn’t change the way I miss Courtney," Grein said.