Man who killed surfer gets 20 to life in prison

Seth Cravens, who killed 24-year-old surfer Emery Kauanui in 2007 with a punch, was sentenced Monday to 20 years to life in prison.

Cravens apologized to Kauanui's mother, Cindy, before Superior Court Judge John S. Einhorn sentenced him.

She said her son had hoped to travel the world “and learn other people's experiences in life.” Later, he wanted to open a restaurant in his native Hawaii.

On Nov. 18, a jury found Cravens, 23, guilty of second-degree murder and other charges, including felony assault and making a criminal threat, stemming from other fights.

Cravens punched Kauanui during a fight outside Kauanui's home in La Jolla on May 24, 2007. Kauanui fell to the pavement and cracked his skull. He died at a hospital four days later.