As the judge told him he would be behind bars until the day he dies, a defiant T.J. Lane — wearing a T-Shirt…
As the judge told him he would be behind bars until the day he dies, a defiant T.J. Lane — wearing a T-Shirt with the word “KILLER” written on it — smirked with repressed laughter, showing no remorse for shooting six fellow Chardon High School students on Feb. 27, 2012, killing three of them.
“An expression of genuine remorse is relevant because without remorse, an offender is likely to reoffend. In this case, the court would expect compassionate, vigorous expression of remorse. Needless to say, that is lacking,” said Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge David Fuhry during Tuesday morning’s sentencing.
“(Lane) consciously and methodically carried out a plan to kill. The victims of the rampage in no way provoked or incited or deserved what they had received at the hands of T.J. Lane. This offender attacked without discernible motive, provocation or reason. The court finds such a person is extremely dangerous,” Fuhry said.
Fuhry handed Lane three consecutive life sentences without parole for the murder of Danny Parmertor, 16, Demetrius Hewlin, 16, and Russell King Jr., 17.
But first, Lane will serve 25 years for maiming students Nick Walczak, 18, Nate Mueller, 17, and Joy Rickers, 19. He will serve an additional 12 years for using a firearm on four of the six most serious counts.
Last month, Lane pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of attempted aggravated murder and one count of felonious assault in connection with the shooting.
A Defiant Lane
Lane walked into the courtroom, sat down and almost immediately unbuttoned his blue dress shirt, revealing a white T-shirt with the word “KILLER” written across his chest, mirroring the pullover he wore the day of the shooting.
Several minutes later — against his defense counsel’s advice — Lane turned to the victims’ families and made a brief, but profane statement.
“This same hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the memory. F— all of you,” he said, making an obscene gesture before raising the middle finger on his left hand.
The courtroom was left speechless, with only gasps heard in the background from family members.
“I, um, I had something prepared, but frankly, I wasn’t prepared for this. I think what we’re dealing with here is a disgusting human being,” said Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz as Lane snickered. “This has confirmed what we had known all along, that this was a cold, calculated, premeditated killing.”
After the hearing, Fuhry’s bailiff told the Geauga County Maple Leaf the court was “unaware” of Lane’s shirt given the angle he was sitting at.
“The court did not notice the shirt and had the court noticed the shirt, the court would have stopped the proceedings immediately and insisted that he put on proper attire,” she said.
Forty-five victims’ family members were in the courthouse, either in the emotionally charged courtroom or on the second floor, including Mueller and the partially paralyzed Walczak, who kept craning to look at Lane during the proceedings.
Lane’s parents, Sarah Nolan and Thomas Lane Jr., sat on the front row bench next to his sister, Sadie, and maternal grandparents Jack and Carole Nolan, who are also his legal guardians.
Carole repeatedly shook her head throughout the proceedings, particularly as she listened to her grandson’s statement and witnessed his conduct, while Jack closed his eyes several times with his one hand over his mouth.
Flaiz told the court how Lane bought a T-shirt with the word “KILLER” on it seven days before the shooting, sent a text message about a school shooting six days before he opened fire inside the cafeteria and took his uncles gun the day before.
“(Lane) went to the school that morning and sat in the cafeteria, and stared at his victims for eight minutes. During that time, his victims were doing nothing but talking and hanging around with their friends, and being kids. No one bothered or provoked (Lane) in any way,” Flaiz said.
The prosecutor then described how Lane opened fire, “not aimlessly or randomly,” and admitted he was trying to shoot his victims in the head.
Flaiz then recounted how Nick struggled to run down the hallway and away from the cafeteria after being shot twice.
“(Lane) chased him down and delivered his final shot to the back of his neck, before running out of the school like a coward,” Flaiz said, adding Lane has never shown any remorse.
“He also didn’t take responsibility afterward,” Flaiz continued. “He lied about hearing voices. He lied about being sexually abused. He lied about all his schizophrenic symptoms. He lied and said the shooting was random.”
Lane concocted his insanity defense to avoid criminal responsibility, Flaiz said, and “only stepped away from that when newly discovered evidence completely undercut his defense.”
“He still refuses to offer any explanation why he did this,” he added. “The only explanation I can offer to the court is that he’s an evil person.”
Defense attorney Ian Friedman’s only argument to the court was that Lane, who was a juvenile at the time of the shooting and throughout most of the court proceedings, should not be given a life sentence without parole.
He asked Fuhry to fashion a sentence that reflects “the reality of T.J.’s mental and chronological state at the time of the offenses.”
“I ask this of your honor, even in the face of almost certain understandable disdain for T.J.,” Friedman said.
The Families Speak
Four representatives of the victims addressed the court: Phillip Carter, Demetrius’ older brother; Crystal King, Russell’s sister; Holly Walczak, Nick’s mother; and Dina Parmertor, Danny’s mother.
“You’re really lucky there are so many police in this room right now,” Holly said, glaring at Lane as he let out a half chuckle. “You could smile all you want.”
Pausing for a moment to collect herself, Holly said life is irrevocably changed for her son, herself and her family.
“Because of you, our quiet little town will never be the same,” she said, visibly shaking with emotion. “I hate you for the pain you have caused Nick. You chased him down the hall and fired the last bullet that paralyzed him. You’re lucky I have to read this, because I’d be staring at you the whole time. Why? Why did you do it? Why? Nick is very kind and loving. Why would you want to hurt him? You don’t know kind. You’re evil.”
Holly said she will eventually have to forgive Lane, otherwise he will “haunt” her.
“You will never, ever be in my thoughts after this. Never. My family will move on, not you. You have ruined your life, not to mention Adam’s,” she said, referring to Lane’s older brother, who died from an overdose last year. “Nick even gave you a ride from school. He was thinking about inviting you back to that table because he felt sorry for you. I feel sorry for you. I have watched my son suffer daily, every hour, every minute. So many people have been affected by your decision.”
She added, “Nick is an amazing person. He is strong and is a survivor, and will continue on with his life. You won’t. And to Tom and Sarah, the sperm donor and egg donor. I went to school with you both. Why pick drugs over your kids?”
Before returning to her seat, Holly begged Fuhry to never let Lane enter the streets again.
After the sentencing, Nate added, “He tried to be tough with his shirt saying ‘Killer’ in a third-grader’s handwriting and by just barely being able to squeak out a very harsh sentence. Now, he will get his 15 minutes of fame one last time before he becomes just another waste of space, murderer.”
‘A Triple Murderer, A Child Killer’
Dina talked about how Lane murdered her son Danny, Russell and Demetrius, injured Nick, Nate and Joy, and traumatized the entire school, teachers and students alike.
“From now on, he will only be a killer,” she said, adding she has sat, silently and patiently, as Lane has been treated with respect under the law.
“Respect he doesn’t deserve,” she said.
Dina said she wants Lane to suffer the rest of his life, the way she will suffer the rest of hers without Danny.
“I obviously see no remorse from him,” Dina told Fuhry. “He is a triple murderer, a child killer.”
She talked about how Danny was just beginning his life and had recently gotten his first job.
“He was a mere baby, my baby,” she said. “That murderer never could have been a fraction of the man Danny was going to be. He doesn’t deserve to breathe the air that I breathe. After today, I refuse to give him even a second of my thoughts. He is repulsive.”
She added, “He will be forgotten as he rots in prison. And I will be glad knowing his existence every day, every minute, every breath is controlled by rules and that he is away from society, locked up in a cage like the animal he is.”
Dina also talked about how Danny was not taken from their family, but rather stolen, robbed and snatched from them.
“We’ll never see Danny get married or be a father. How dare he take Danny away from us, how dare he,” she shouted. “I am in pain every minute of every day. I am so mad.”
She continued, “You murdered my son Danny. You are a killer. You’re a pathetic excuse for a human being. In fact, you’re not even a human being. You don’t deserve to be called human. You’re a monster and will forever be titled a triple murderer.”
Lane, facing the families, continued to smirk throughout her statement.
“I have many more words I wish I could say that would express my pure disgust and hatred for you, but unlike you, as we’ve seen today, I obey the law and that’s why I’m standing here a free person, something you will never be,” Dina said. “I hope you have a cold, rough, unkind, harsh prison life with monsters like yourself. I want you to endure years and years of pain and abuse, which is in my opinion not harsh enough. If I had my choice, you would die an extremely slow, torturous death.”
Dina called Lane’s actions disgusting, selfish and cowardly.
“You’re a weak, pathetic, vile coward,” she said, before sitting back down.
Demetrius — ‘One of a Kind’
Carter read a statement on behalf of his mother, Phyllis Ferguson.
“He was one of a kind,” Carter said of Demetrius, adding the family still does not understand why his life was taken in such a violent manner and that his death has “devastated the lives of the living.”
Carter, speaking calmly and quietly, talked about how Demetrius had planned to give his kidney to his ailing grand-mother, but she had fallen and broken her hip, and was unable to receive it.
On the day she had hip replacement surgery, Demetrius’ organs were being prepared for transplant. She died this past January.
Phyllis was at 7:30 a.m. mass at St. Mary Catholic Church when Lane opened fire inside the high school, Carter said, adding their sister called because she heard Demetrius was in the cafeteria.
Phyllis went to the high school and began searching for her son.
“After about 15 minutes, a young woman came out and told us that she thinks that Demetrius was one of the children that was shot. After that, an officer came and confirmed it,” Carter read, adding an FBI agent then took Phyllis to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.
“That day brought new life to nine people. That child took lives, but he gave lives also,” he said, referring to Demetrius’ organ donations. “I will never forget our son Demetrius. I will miss Demetrius, but I have enough memories to last me a lifetime. That child stole my baby’s life and he should never be able to do this to anyone ever again.”
Russell, a ‘Hero,’ Lane, a ‘Monster’
As Crystal took the podium and began talking about her brother, Lane turned toward her and began smirking and softly chuckling.
She recalled how she attempted to call Russell on his cell phone and sent him text messages after the shooting.
Crystal expected her brother to be en route to Auburn Career Center and unaware of what was happening at the high school.
“I remember thinking, he’s going to answer and ask why we’ve called him a million times,” she said, adding her father later told her Russell had been shot.
He died at 3:51 p.m. that afternoon.
Crystal told the court how Russell wanted to be a blood and organ donor.
“Because of Russell’s selflessness, Russell is a hero,” she said, adding through organ donation he saved the lives of eight people, including a 16-year-old boy who was dying from a heart condition and an 11-year-old child who received part of his liver.
“As you can see, to us the defendant no longer has a name. To us he is the shooter who stole my loving brother Russell away from us. He’s the evil, disgusting animal that took a gun into a place that is supposed to be safe and murdered three amazing, handsome, funny, smart boys who were loved by so many people,” Crystal said. “He’s the monster that injured three others and hurt thousands more with his actions.”
She told Fuhry Lane deserved to spend the rest of his life in prison because he took so much away from so many people.
“No one should be able to take the lives of three young men, who were doing what they were supposed to, and get a second chance,” Crystal said.
She ended by mentioning that several weeks prior to the shooting, Russell told one of his close friends that he wanted to start “hanging out” with Lane again, even though they had grown apart over the years.
Said Crystal, “I hope that is something the shooter will never forget; (Russell) wanted to be his friend, he felt sorry for him.”
Fuhry Casts Punishment
“(Lane) said he didn’t know why he shot people, that he felt forced to. He also commented, ‘It was just something that I chose to do,'” Fuhry related. “So we are left to infer the motive if we are to determine one at all. It appears to the court that the defendant simply wished to make a name for himself, to make a big splash, make front page news, thus the pullover shirt that boldly and brazenly declared across his chest ‘KILLER.’ Lane’s decision to wear that shirt that day was no coincidence.”
Fuhry said it is now “abundantly clear” Lane was not “materially, mentally or cognitively impaired at the time of these shootings or otherwise.”
“On the contrary, T.J. was an intelligent student, positioned to graduate early. He was not insane, incompetent or impaired on the 27th of February 2012 or any other time relevant to these proceedings,” Fuhry said. “Of course he knew what he was doing is wrong. That’s why he carried the weapons in a bag to school. That’s why he ran away after the shootings. That’s why he acknowledged his wrongdoing so soon after the shooting.”
Fuhry said Lane’s consecutive life sentences for the three students he killed were necessary and anything short of that would be inadequate and would demean the seriousness of his conduct and crimes.
“We, the public, are moved to ask when might this person strike again, where, against who and why?” he said. “No single sentence is proportionate to what happened here.”
Fuhry said Lane acted alone, confided in no one and there was no accomplice or any aiding and abetting.
“He came up with it and implemented the plan on his own,” he said. “Those who have been killed obviously have been deprived of all of life’s expectancies, of all of the adventures of life and their families have suffered extreme emotional, psychological and physical pain.
“These juveniles were ambushed. This was not an impulsive course of conduct. It was the studied effort of someone bent on killing.”
