UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Judge Fuhry responds to criticism for allowing Lane to wear the t-shirt in court. His office released the following statement:
(WKYC) The court was unaware of the shirt. The court did not notice the shirt. Had the court noticed the shirt, the court would have immediately stopped the proceedings, adjourned the court and the court would have ordered the defendant to put on proper attire.
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Chardon High School shooter T.J. Lane has been sentenced to life in prison for the school shooting that left three fellow students dead and three others seriously wounded last year, including a young man paralyzed and in a wheelchair.
Just over one year ago, Lane walked into the Chardon High School cafeteria and fired 10 shots from a handgun. Killed were Demetrius Hewlin, Daniel Parmertor and Russel; King, Jr. Wounded in the attack were Nate Mueller, Joy Rickers and Nick Walczak. Walczak's injuries left him unable to walk.
Geauga County Judge David Fuhry sentenced 18-year-old T.J. Lane to three consecutive terms of life in prison, without the possibility of parole, noting Lane never showed any remorse for his actions. The judge said it was difficult to come up with any sentencing that matched Lane's crime.
Multiple media outlets reported that Lane gave the middle finger to the courtroom during the sentencing. In a profane but short response to victim family impact testimony that, at times, called him "evil" and "an animal," Lane responded by saying the same hand used to pull the trigger he also used to pleasure himself, and for the court to "F-all" themselves.
The unedited video, below from NewsChannel 5, is offensive.
He removed a dress shirt he wore into the courtroom, revealing the white T-shirt with the words "killer" handwritten on the front. Lane continued to smile, laugh and smirk while families of the victims read their impact statements in court. He was not handcuffed for the sentencing but was surrounded by deputies in the courtroom. He was led from the room immediately after the sentence was delivered; deputies did not allow him to put his dress shirt on as he left.
On February 26, one day before the one-year anniversary of the school shooting, Lane pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault.
Three students were killed and three were seriously wounded in the Chardon school shooting.
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