WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) – A Lauderhill man convicted in July of a shooting spree at a Palm Beach County Dunkin Donuts store will die in prison, after he was sentenced Friday to 9 life terms for the crimes involved in the spree, 5 of which will run consecutively. His response was to laugh at one of his victims.
James Herard couldn’t legally buy a beer the day in 2008 when he entered the Delray Beach Dunkin Donuts store and opened fire. When he was done, victims lay sprawled across the floor, but nobody died.
Herard was convicted of 19 counts, including multiple counts of attempted First Degree murder.
Sentencing on the charges was set for Friday in Palm Beach Circuit Court, after his victims had a chance to speak.
One victim, 75-year-old Gerald Lakin, held a towel he used to wipe away the drool caused by injuries he received in the shooting. He was one of three people Herard shot in the face during the attacks.
When Lakin told the judge Herard should never again be in free society, Herard laughed out loud.
Herard, who delivered how own closing statement to the jury during his trial, was also sentenced to 5 20 year sentenced for aggravated assault, to be served concurrently, and 5 sentences of 5 years each for using a gun while committing false imprisonment.
In all, Herard will serve life plus 125 years.
In court Friday, he seemed unconcerned about the sentence or about his victims.
“I feel sorry for the victims,” Herard said, “but if it wasn’t them, it would have been someone else.”
