The Mendiola crime saga is now essentially over.

Washington Huskies stars Gio and Giuli were in court on Friday as their brother Giovanni was sentenced for second degree murder.

Several family members, including the sisters, testified on Giovanni's behalf and asked for leniency. Mendiola's mother begged: "In the name of Jesus Christ, let him go."

But the judge was not fully moved. "I have no doubt you are a kind man, a loving man, a spiritual man. You have a lot of good in you," he said to Mendiola. "I think, through the summer of 2002, you had a lot of evil, too."

The judge sentenced Mendiola to life in prison, with a minimum of 8 years before parole eligibility. The prosecutor had asked for a 12 year minimum.

For the first time on Friday, Giovanni told his version of what happened.

He admits that he killed Brendan Butler, but he says it was an accident. He said that he and Butler were thinking of opening a restaurant together. Mendiola says they had a dispute, Butler pulled a gun, and so he had to defend himself with a knife.

The prosecution had several witnesses who were apparently going to testify that Mendiola and Butler were part of a drug ring, and Mendiola killed Butler after a dispute about payments. Mendiola says those witnesses are lying.

There was some mention of an appeal on Friday. But appeals from plea agreements are very difficult. So this sentencing likely represents the final resolution.