A Stafford County man will spend 15 years in prison for his role in a Caroline County home invasion that resulted in a man being shot with a crossbow and two women being sexually assaulted.

Circuit Court Judge Joseph J. Ellis sentenced James "Eddie" Morrison yesterday to 45 years in prison with all but 15 suspended.

Morrison, 30, pleaded guilty in April to statutory burglary, conspiracy to commit statutory burglary, malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and wearing a mask in public.

Morrison apologized to the victims and his family before sentencing.

"I pleaded guilty to some of the charges because I accept responsibility for my actions," he said. "I apologize to my family because they raised me better than this . "

Commonwealth's Attorney Tony Spencer asked the judge for a stiffer sentence because he said Morrison planned the October 2009 robbery and nearly killed one of the victims who was shot with a crossbow.

"If but for an eighth of an inch, this would have been a murder case," Spencer told the judge.

Spencer also argued that Morrison showed no remorse for his actions.

Caroline Investigator M. Ellett testified that in a recorded phone conversation Morrison indicated to a jail informant that he wanted to have the witnesses in his case killed.

No charges have been filed on those allegations, Spencer said.

The 28-year-old male victim who was shot testified that six inches of the crossbow bolt split his ear and entered his neck, just an eight of an inch from his jugular vein.

He said he has suffered permanent nerve damage, loss of sleep and is having a hard time mentally coping with what happened.

"I just hope justice gets served," he said on the witness stand.

Defense attorney Maureen White submitted five letters of recommendation on Morrison's behalf, including one from a doctor who said a brain injury from a 2008 car accident put him "solidly in the [mental retardation] range in some regards" and changed his character.

"He's generally a nice person," White said.

Judge Ellis told Morrison that he couldn't think of a crime that was more horrific.