CHARLOTTE – The courtroom was packed with family and friends of both a convicted double murderer and his victims on Monday as Montrez Williams asked for his sentence of life without the possibility of parole to be reduced.

A judge is hearing the case under a 2012 Supreme Court ruling on sentencing for juvenile murderers. Williams was 17, 45 days away from his 18th birthday, when he shot and killed two teen brothers. He is now 24.

Williams took the stand. He was in handcuffs and a had a chain around his waist. Not only does he want his sentence reduced under the 2012 ruling, he also claims he is innocent and shouldn't be in prison at all.

“This has just been the worst day. We thought it was over. We can't live with this no more,” said Andrea Long, the victims’ mother.

Long says the resentencing hearing is forcing her to relive the night she lost her two sons. Police say Williams shot and killed Terry Long and Josh Davis at a west Charlotte apartment complex in 2008.

A jury found him in guilty in 2011 and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. But in 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that if a juvenile -- someone who is under 18 years old -- commits a murder, that person should not be required to spend life in prison.

“Justice has been served and now they are just playing any card they can. They is just reaching for air,” Long said.

Williams said on stand Monday that he is innocent. He said he didn't shoot the two brothers; someone else did and then threatened his family if he didn't say he was guilty. 

“From what he told us since the last trial, the only reason he said he was guilty was he was afraid for his sisters,” his grandmother Rosie Anderson said.

His family stands behind him and hopes the judge reduces his time, but family and friends of the victims say the original sentence should stand. 

The judge could uphold the original sentence or drop it to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Another option is 25 years to life with or without the possibility of parole for each murder.

The hearing will resume Tuesday morning.