fatima, do take note of what chella has just said.It's perfect sense and very important.The lawyers (and the amateur lawyers too!) can only say 'this means going away', custody, and you have to prepare yourself for that.We can't say how long it'll be because we don't know your man's record and the version the prosecution have of this.Any defendant and his friends will put everything in the best possible light, which is human nature and natural, but the court won't necessarily see things that way.Let's face it, your man showed a disturbing amount of temper and an enthusiasm for violence which he'll have to learn to control.