Matthew Cordle, whose "I killed a man" confession on YouTube went viral in September, has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for driving drunk and causing an accident that killed a 61-year-old man in Ohio on June 22.
Cordle, 22, faced a maximum sentence of about eight years.
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge David Fais:
"Sentenced Cordle to six years on [an] aggravated vehicular homicide charge and six months for drunken driving, to be served consecutively. He also had his driver's license suspended for life."
The Dispatch adds that:
"Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien had argued for the maximum sentence of eight years, saying in a memo that while Cordle spoke for nearly four minutes in his viral video, he neglected two simple words: 'I'm sorry.' ...
"Cordle's lawyers countered that he deserved less time, that a hefty prison sentence would not further rehabilitate an already-contrite man and discourage others from taking responsibility for their crimes. ...
"Cordle spoke at the end of the hearing.
" 'There is no fair sentence when it comes to losing a life,' he said. 'It should have been me that night ... instead of an innocent man.' "
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.