By Tom Blakey

Transcript Staff Writer

Jared Hughes, the 7-year-old son of murder victim Martin Hughes, approached District Attorney Greg Mashburn outside a Cleveland County courtroom Wednesday.

“He’s got a question to ask you,” said Rebecca Hughes, Jared’s mother. “Go ahead, ask him.”

Jared, wearing a coat and tie, looked up at Mashburn and asked, “How long will he be in prison?”

“The rest of his life,” Mashburn replied.

Jared nodded his head, appearing satisfied.

“Family is why I do the job I do,” Mashburn said. “I’m very pleased with the outcome of this case. I have sons 6 and 8 and Jared really touched me.”

Ten minutes earlier, Michael Lee Burton, 20, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the May 31, 2006, shooting death of Martin Hughes, 47, of Wylie, Texas.

Hughes was in Norman to supervise a swimming pool construction project and checked into the Guest Inn, 2543 W. Main St. He was shot in the neck around 5:30 the next morning as he sat in his pickup truck in the motel parking lot, preparing to go to work. The two men who stole his truck ran over him with it as they left the parking lot.

Rebecca Hughes introduced Jared to District Judge Tom Lucas before taking the stand to testify Wednesday afternoon. Sending Jared from the courtroom, Mrs. Hughes said it had been “one year, two months and 15 days ago that Michael Burton made a decision that changed our lives forever.”

“Gone are the days of a boy and his father playing catch. Gone are the days of playing with Hot Wheels and Legos. Gone are the funny stories, silly songs and baseball facts that only Marty can share with Jared. These things have all been replaced by sadness and pain. Far more than this young boy should ever have to deal with.”

Hughes’ sister, Anita Erskine, also testified.

“For the use of a truck, you chose to murder my brother,” she said.

Erskine said Hughes was a “damn good man” who would have offered the men a job if only they would’ve asked.