Teen pleads guilty to murdering a homeless man

... and the victim's family isn't happy about it.

A teen pleaded guilty today to stabbing a homeless man to death in Gaston County.

Now, as prosecutors are saying the killing was gang-related, family members are calling for a harsher punishment.

"I feel like he should have gotten more time. It's wrong what he's done," said Robin Smith.

Her brother, Royce Mathis, is the victim in this case. It was a day of overwhelming emotions for family members in court.

The victim's brother-in-law, Dale Saine, is angry that the prosecutor allowed a plea deal in the case.

"How can they allow somebody like that to take a plea bargain, to cut them slack, when he didn't cut my brother-in-law no slack when he was stabbed in the neck four times," Saine said.

Other relatives agree. They feel justice was not served.

In court they watched and listened as the prosecution explained how then 18-year-old Jamod Burney stabbed a homeless man for nothing more than recognition from a gang.

The prosecutor said it was, "An attempt, I guess, to gain some more attention from the other local members."

Even the defense attorney agrees Burney admitted to stabbing Mathis several times in the neck in June 2007, but the prosecution allowed a plea deal where Burney pled guilty to second-degree murder instead of first.

"I don't think the justice system did its job," said Saine.

Letting tears out, Smith added, "I hope somebody will get him one day like that and let him suffer. Show him how it really feels."

Burney was sentenced to at least 25 years in prison.

The prosecutor said two other juveniles were also involved in the stabbing. One of the teens has already pled guilty to different charges for this case. The third teen is still waiting for his day in court.