AUSTIN, Texas – The man charged with attempting to kill Travis County District Judge Julie Kocurek was sentenced to life in prison.
- Admitted to shooting Kocurek in 2015
- Found guilty of attempted capital murder
- Judge lost a finger in the shooting
The sentence was handed down after 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Chimene Onyeri was found guilty on 17 counts, including attempted capital murder, in April. He admitted to shooting Kocurek in 2015 in the driveway outside her West Austin home.
After several hours of arguments Monday, and a long appearance on the stand by Onyeri, the judge delayed the sentencing until 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Kocurek lost a finger during the shooting and suffered several other permanent injuries. Kocurek has since returned to the bench after recovering.
During questioning in court, Onyeri said he felt Kocurek did not respect him during a hearing for another case he was involved in prior to the shooting.
Onyeri faces up to life in prison for capital murder. While addressing the court Monday, Onyeri rambled for several minutes, discussing his birthday and telling the court he had never hurt a woman.
The defense on Monday asked the judge for a 25-year sentence. The prosecution said the only reasonable sentence is life in prison, claiming there is a "path of destruction" in Onyer's criminal history and that he poses an extreme danger.
Spectrum News will update the story with the sentence as soon as it is announced.
