SAN ANTONIO -- In 1992, Edward Debrow was sentenced to 27 years in prison for killing taxi driver Curtis Edwards. He was 12 years old at the time.

Recently, however, an appeals court ordered the punishment phase of the case to be retried, and Debrow will now do even more time. The court decided that Debrow would instead be sentenced to 40 years in prison.

"He didn't get a fair trial. He didn't get a chance," Debrow's sister, Ebony Rosiles, said. "It wasn't fair, thank you. And remember, always, he was 12 when he committed that -- not a man."

Debrow was convicted for shooting Edwards in the back of the head inside his cab during an attempted robbery.

Edwards' family said Wednesday's ruling was justice with a message.

"I hope the kids these days in the community learn from this. You cannot commit a crime and think you're going to get out early by just doing the sentence," Edwards' brother, Ernest Edwards, said.

The court said Debrow would be given credit for the 16 years he served on the original sentence.

He will have to serve 20 years of the 40-year sentence before he is eligible for parole, officials said.