A judge did not buy Chad Henthorn's expression of contrition.
Henthorn, 49, appearing Tuesday for his sentencing hearing in Richland County Common Pleas Court, apologized for his role in the savage beating of a 29-year-old man.
"I don't believe for one minute you have remorse today. There is none," Judge Phil Naumoff said.
Henthorn was found guilty on five of nine counts Friday night at the conclusion of a four-day trial. Naumoff sentenced him to 25 years in prison for the incident, along with three years for an unrelated drug charge, for a total of 28 years behind bars.
While finding Henthorn not guilty of attempted murder, jurors convicted him on a single count of kidnapping, two counts of felonious assault and two counts of tampering with evidence. Henthorn did not take part in the attack, but the eight-man, four-woman jury found him complicit since he was there initially and closed the door when he left.
Henthorn was acquitted of attempted murder, kidnapping and two counts of felonious assault.
The beating, which was caught on a security camera, happened May 30, 2023, in a garage in the 1200 block of Walker Street, where Henthorn lived. The victim, who testified, suffered three skull fractures, brain bleed, a lacerated liver, a broken collarbone and a broken finger. He spent five days in the hospital.
Henthorn addressed the court, including the victim, who did not speak.
Henthorn says he regrets role in beating
"First off, I'd like to apologize to (the victim)," Henthorn said. "That was a horrible beating.
"If I had the opportunity to ever be in that position again, you can best believe I would have made a phone call, or I would have tried to stop him (Robert Virgili), something."
Henthorn called Virgili a "monster" and said he feared for his life.
Virgili, the co-defendant, was sentenced in April to 26 years in prison for his role in the case. He assaulted the victim with a heavy chain and a crowbar, also punching, kicking and choking the man. Virgili also unsuccessfully tried to start a chainsaw.
He had lured the victim to the scene under the guise of giving him a job. The motive did not come out at trial.
Naumoff also didn't buy Henthorn's claim that he would have helped if he had it to do over again.
"I watched that film, Mr. Henthorn. You had no intentions of ever helping the victim, none," Naumoff said. "You stepped over a person who was getting beat endlessly, a blood mess. You didn't care.
"You stepped over him and went out and closed the garage door. You weren't afraid. The evidence says you were a part of this."
Naumoff told Henthorn he was fortunate the state didn't charge him with other crimes, including endangering children and robbery.
"There was a whole slew of other charges that could have come forward," Naumoff said, noting Henthorn and his girlfriend smoked methamphetamine in front of their toddler in one video.
Naumoff also pointed out a sign that was in the garage. It said "No stupid people beyond this point."
"That garage was full of stupid people, you being one of them," he said to Henthorn.
Attorneys differ on length of sentence
Prior to issuing his ruling, Naumoff listened to arguments from attorneys about whether the sentences should be consecutive or concurrent.
Defense attorney Josh Brown argued the two felonious assault counts should merge.
"It's pretty clear there was only one victim," he said, adding the tampering charges also should merge because of the single crime scene.
Henthorn destroyed the victim's cellphone and tried to clean up the garage.
Brown also asked the judge to merge the kidnapping charge with the felonious assault counts.
Assistant Prosecutor Chris Brown, who tried the case with Prosecutor Jodie Schumacher, lobbied for maximum penalties to be served consecutively.
He noted Henthorn's criminal record, which goes back to the early 1990s. Brown added that Henthorn committed these new crimes while indicted on a felony drug possession charge.
"He is committing drug dealing with meth out in his garage, openly and flagrantly," Brown said.
Like Naumoff, Brown did not believe Henthorn would have helped the victim.
"To me, it's his callousness, when he just steps over a fellow human being who is being beaten (almost) to death," he said. "I think that shows where Mr. Henthorn's mindset was. Furthermore, how calmly he steps over his co-defendant, it's hard to believe that he was in fear for his life."
Naumoff made the felonious assault counts merge, but ordered them to be consecutive to kidnapping, the two charges of tampering with evidence and possession of drugs.
As he was led out of court, Henthorn winked at his supporters and told them he loved them.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X: @MarkCau32059251
Most Popular
Comments / 0