A Mississippi casino dealer has been jailed for 25 years for killing a Dublin student in a drunken hit-and-run accident.
Ms Tracey Staunton, whose family were in Mississippi for sentencing, had been attending university in Mississippi on a soccer scholarship.
She was killed when her car was hit by that of Michael Joseph Kramm, who drank at least 10 beers before the accident.
A jury convicted Kramm in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Thursday after watching a police video of Kramm's slurred speech after the accident on December 5th, 2002.
The jury found Kramm guilty of killing Ms Staunton, of drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
Ms Staunton (20) had been attending William Carey College in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Her classmates were also in court to hear the verdict and sentencing. She had previously coached children's soccer teams in Ireland before receiving a soccer scholarship to William Carey College.
She and four friends were waiting at a red light when Kramm's car hit theirs from behind. Ms Staunton died at a local hospital about an hour after the accident.
Kramm (28) of Pass Christian, Mississippi, asked for forgiveness from the Staunton family after he was sentenced.
Assistant prosecutor Mr Mark Ward said that the jury were strongly influenced by videotape of Kramm after the accident in which he slurred his words and admitted drinking in a casino beforehand.
After he hit the car in which Ms Staunton was travelling, he fled the scene and parked his car at an army retirement home but was spotted by witnesses.