A Georgia man just got 20 years for killing someone in a hit-and-run, but what happened right after the sentence shocked everyone in the courtroom.
Even the judge didn’t see it coming.
Judge reacts to unexpected courtroom moment
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the wife of a victim hug the defendant where they killed somebody,” said Cherokee County Superior Court Judge Tony Baker, according to ABC 7 Chicago and WSB-TV.
Widow embraces the man who killed her husband
Judge Baker said that after watching Regina Johnson walk over and hug Joseph Tillman, the man who killed her husband of 50 years, Chuck Johnson, in a hit-and-run last year.
Tillman was high when the crash happened
Tillman had been under the influence of nitrous oxide when he hit 78-year-old Chuck while Chuck was riding his electric bike, WSB-TV reported.
On Thursday, Aug. 7, Regina met Tillman in the courtroom. She wrapped her arm around his neck and held on for several seconds. He was red-faced and crying by the time they let go.
She forgives him and tells him why
In the middle of the hug, Regina told him she forgives him. She said he whispered back over and over, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Later, Regina explained why she did it. “God told her he needed a mom hug,” WSB-TV quoted her as saying.
“Joey doesn’t know yet how much God loves him. Joey needs healing of things in his past, as we all do. And that is our heart and prayer.”
Tillman gave an emotional public apology
Tillman also spoke up in court. “I pray that you hear my heart when I say I am truly, completely sorry,” he said, his voice shaking, according to footage from the Atlanta station.
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He had pleaded guilty to three counts of homicide by vehicle, felony hit and run, making a false statement, DUI, and reckless driving. Prosecutors said it was a non-negotiated plea.
He was given 20 years, with three to be served in prison. The rest would be suspended if he completes a two-year inpatient rehab program.
The daughter spoke through tears
Chuck’s daughter, Brittany McCarthy, stood up in court that day too. “I will always be the daughter of a man that you killed,” she told Tillman.
“I will be the daughter whose heart you shattered, a life you forever changed because of your choice to do drugs while driving,” she said, holding back tears. “You became a deadly weapon, and my father paid the price with his life.”
Tillman’s lawyer says he’s moving forward
Tillman’s lawyer, Paul Ghanouni, told WSB-TV that “he’s changed his way of life” and “seems like he’s on a trajectory to continue to move forward with his life in a positive way.”
