JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Michael Dunn has been sentenced to life in prison, plus 90 years consecutive for other charges, in the shooting death of Jordan Davis.
In a statement he read in court that lasted about 25 seconds, Dunn publicly apologized for the first time for the death of 17-year-old Davis, WJXT reports.
"I want the Davis family to know I truly regret what happened. I'm sorry for their loss," Dunn said. "If I could roll back time and do things differently, I would."
LIVE COVERAGE: Sentencing hearing, interactive discussion
Dunn, who's facing life in prison after being convicted of murder, continued, "I was in fear for my life and I did what I thought I had to do. Still, I am mortified I took a life, whether it was justified or not."
Lucy McBath, Jordan Davis' mother, was first to give a victim impact statement. She was in tears as she spoke about her son.
"I miss his big, wide, toothy smile," McBath said. "For me, there will be no college graduation. There will be no daughter-in-law. For me, there will be no future generation."
"I too must be willing to forgive. And so I choose to forgive you Mr. Dunn for taking my son's life," McBath added. "I pray that God has mercy on your soul."
Several other relatives spoke before Ron Davis, Jordan Davis' father.
"My life as I had known it was shattered on Nov. 23, 2012. I now call it Black Friday for a completely different reason," Ron Davis said. "After the longest hour of my life, the hospital confirmed that Jordan Russell Davis was deceased in the emergency room."
"The old Ron Davis died that night with Jordan," Ron Davis added.
Some jurors from Dunn's retrial were in the courtroom for the sentencing hearing, and they cried as an emotional Ron Davis spoke.
Ron Davis' wife said she still hears her husband crying in his sleep and it wakes her up.
A large group of Jordan Davis' family and friends, as well as attorneys, sat in the gallery with his parents.
Tommie Stornes was the only of the three other teens who were in the SUV with Davis when he was killed to attend the sentencing hearing.
Dunn, who wore an orange jumpsuit with shackles on his hands and feet, has been in jail for 692 days, defense attorney Waffa Hanania said. Attorneys from both of his trials were present.
Dunn's family and friends chose not to speak in court as part of the victim impact statements. Dunn's parents, who appeared emotionless, have never said anything publicly or to Jordan Davis' parents regarding the loss of their son.
Cory Strolla, Dunn's attorney in his first trial, said Dunn's family is also losing their son because of this sentence. He said they have a big loss, too.
Strolla said Dunn always showed remorse when speaking to him privately.
Before the victim impact statements, Judge Russell Healey denied a motion for a new trial for Dunn.
The defense filed the motion, saying the retrial should have been moved from Duval County, testimony from the deputy medical examiner about gunshot trajectory should not have been allowed and a juror was dismissed without evidence of misconduct.
Dunn was convicted earlier this month of murdering Davis outside a Southside Gate gas station in a dispute over loud music. He was convicted in his first trial in February of three counts of attempted murder for firing a gun at the SUV that was also carrying three of Jordan Davis' friends.
Before the sentencing, Ron Davis said the last couple of years have been tough, and he and Jordan Davis' mother are ready to move forward.
"Had my son killed your son, I would've come over to you no matter what the circumstances were and said, 'I am so sorry for your loss,'" Ron Davis said. "They never came over to us, seeing us in court this many times, for two years. They have not once, nobody in their family has come over to us and said, 'We are sorry for your loss.' And they have to live with that."