LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- After a delay, a plea deal was reached that spared the life of a man convicted of murder on Friday.

After several hours, attorneys agreed to a life sentence for Joseph Banis, with the possibility of parole after 20 years for the murder of James Carroll.  The victim's mother, Ellen Carroll, made a statement to the court following the announcement, but fainted immediately after she left the courtroom.

Here's what she had to say beforehand:  "I just want everybody to know that it is really tore my family apart. We are in such a mess that we can't hardly talk to each other without crying."

Attorneys reached a plea agreement after nearly five hours of negotiating. Banis will not have a chance to appeal.

Attorneys on both sides talked about the death penalty being taken off the table and why they decided to come to the deal.

Defense Attorney Darren Wolff said, "We didn't think that it was going to happen anyway, but nonetheless he felt that taking it completely off the table and making it completely not an option was important enough to sign the document today."

Prosecutor Ryane Conroy said, "It's in the interest of justice to make all of the picture known and the only way to do that was by entering this agreement."

The deal provides that Banis must testify against his co-defendant and former partner Jeffrey Mundt, who will be on trial in May.  Banis will be formally sentenced in June.

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