Maryland newspaper gunman gets more than 5 life prison terms

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A antheral who killed 5 radical astatine a paper successful Maryland was sentenced connected Tuesday to much than 5 beingness sentences without the anticipation of parole.

Anne Arundel County Judge Michael Wachs ordered the condemnation for Jarrod Ramos, whom a assemblage antecedently recovered criminally liable for sidesplitting Wendi Winters, John McNamera, Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen and Rebecca Smith with a shotgun astatine the Capital Gazette’s bureau successful June 2018.

Ramos had pleaded blameworthy but not criminally liable to each 23 counts against him successful 2019, utilizing Maryland’s mentation of an insanity defense. The lawsuit was delayed respective times earlier and during the coronavirus pandemic.

Before announcing the sentence, the justice noted that Ramos showed nary remorse for the crimes and adjacent told a authorities psychiatrist helium would termination much if helium were ever released.

“The interaction of this lawsuit is conscionable simply immense,” Wachs said. “To accidental that the suspect exhibited a callous and implicit disregard for the sanctity of quality beingness is simply a immense understatement.”

Ramos, who sat successful tribunal wearing a achromatic mask, declined to marque a connection successful tribunal erstwhile asked by his attorney, Katy O’Donnell.

Also anterior to the sentencing, survivors of the shooting and relatives of the 5 victims who died successful the onslaught described the symptom and nonaccomplishment they person experienced.

Montana Winters Geimer, girl of shooting unfortunate Wendi Winters, testified however her parent “woke up 1 morning, went to enactment and ne'er came back.”

“The time she died was the worst time of my life,” Geimer told Wachs. “The hours spent not knowing if she was live oregon dormant person lived successful my nightmares ever since.”

The battle was 1 of the worst attacks connected journalists successful U.S. history.

After a 12-day proceedings successful July, a assemblage took little than 2 hours to cull arguments from Ramos’ attorneys that helium could not recognize the criminality of his actions.

Prosecutors contend Ramos, 41, acted retired of revenge against the paper aft it published a communicative astir his blameworthy plea to a misdemeanor complaint of harassing a erstwhile precocious schoolhouse classmate successful 2011. Prosecutors said his long, meticulous readying for the onslaught — which included preparations for his apprehension and agelong incarceration — proved helium understood the criminality of his actions.