Attorneys for a man sentenced to prison for planning a shooting at a Wal-Mart in Bolivar say he is in prison for his thoughts.

State attorney Robert Bartholomew (standing) and attorney for Blaec Lammers, Donald R. Cooley (seated) argue Lammers' case before the Missouri Supreme Court.

State attorney Robert Bartholomew (standing) and attorney for Blaec Lammers, Donald R. Cooley (seated) argue Lammers’ case before the Missouri Supreme Court.

Blaec Lammers was arrested three years ago when police said he was plotting a mass shooting. He was convicted of assault and armed criminal action and sent to prison for 15 years.

Lammers’ attorney, Donald Cooley, says Lammers never committed a crime, never hurt anyone, and when he had thoughts about the possibility of shooting someone with his rifles, he gave them to his girlfriend’s father.

“Their premise of their entire case and where the fatal weakness occurs is the fact that there is a total lack of any evidence that this gentleman, at the time he purchased weapons, had any intent whatsoever to harm people,” said Cooley. “He did have thoughts of obviously doing something and he did everything he can, at the earliest stop possible, to dispossess himself of those weapons.”

The state’s attorney Richard Batholomew argues Lammers told police he had more than thoughts about a shooting. He says during interrogation, Lammers answered an investigator who asked him if he had a plan by saying, “I was just going to walk in and wait until the police got there. Just walk in, start shooting, wait ’till the police got there.”

Lammers’ arrest made national news in the months after a mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, theater.

The Court is being asked to reverse his convictions. It could make a decision at any time.