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Mike Nolan's killer: Your son 'was not innocent'

Nashaun Hunter, 18, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Matt Spillane
mspillane@lohud.com
Nashaun Hunter listens as Donna Nolan, the mother of Michael Nolan, gives a statement during Hunter's sentencing at the Westchester County Courthouse Nov. 16, 2016. Hunter plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the shooting death of Michael Nolan of Yonkers on Sept. 18, 2016.

A defiant Nashaun Hunter, who took Michael Nolan's life, offered a scathing insult to Nolan's family as he was sentenced Tuesday.

"The only thing I have to say is that their son was not innocent," the 18-year-old told them, drawing a bunch of strong remarks from the room, which was packed with the slain baseball prospect's family and friends as well as several Yonkers police detectives.

Judge Barry Warhit told Hunter that comment "fits perfectly with what you did the night in question."

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"They were all cruel. They were all evil," Warhit said of Hunter's choices that night. "They've called you a coward. You are."

Warhit then sentenced Hunter to a previously agreed-upon 25 years in prison for gunning down Nolan, 23, in a Burger King parking lot in Yonkers on Sept. 18, 2015.

Donna Nolan cries as she talks about her son Michael while giving a statement during the sentencing of Nashaun Hunter at the Westchester County Courthouse Nov. 16, 2016. Hunter plead guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the shooting death of Michael Nolan of Yonkers on Sept. 18, 2016.

Nolan's mother, Donna Nolan, and brother Jimmy Nolan, both gave victim impact statements.

"Looking at him makes me sick," Donna Nolan said as she looked at Hunter. "I hate him."

She said her husband goes to Michael's grave two or three times a day, and she sees her sons' pain.

"That's all I think about, is Michael," she said. "I feel him every day."

Mike Nolan, Oakland A's baseball prospect from Yonkers fatally shot in Yonkers on Sept. 18, 2015.

She thanked Yonkers detectives. "They busted their butts to make sure you and your punk friends would pay for what you did," she told Hunter.

"You had not one ounce of remorse," she said to Hunter. "You'll always be a murderer. You're just a punk coward. You're a low life murderer. You took everything from me. You're nothing but a piece of crap. I hope you die."

Jimmy Nolan told Hunter that he didn't look so tough now without his gun and getaway driver.

"There is no forgiveness," he said. "This world would be a better place without Nashaun Hunter. I hope you burn in hell."

Assistant District Attorney Julia Cornachio then told Warhit that Hunter drove to Yonkers that night "like a cowboy, like a vigilante." He's shown no remorse or sympathy, she said.

Hunter's lawyer, Sherman Jackson, offered his condolences before saying that everyone makes mistakes.

"This was a terrible and tragic one," he said.

Nashaun Hunter, right, appears in Westchester County Court with his attorney Sherman Jackson, July 27, 2016, to plead guilty in connection with the death of Mike Nolan, from Yonkers.

While others see Hunter as a monster, he said, "I see a highly intelligent young man."

Hunter was the third young man sentenced so far for the killing. Tejmitra Singh and Darren Dawson were sentenced to 11 years and 9 years, respectively, on Oct. 26. A fourth man, Garth O'Neil Cole, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1.

Hunter was originally set to be sentenced on Oct. 26, as well, but it was rescheduled because his probation officer reported that Hunter had refused to be interviewed for a pre-sentencing report. Sherman Jackson, Hunter's lawyer, called it "a misunderstanding" and said that Hunter had been nervous about being interviewed on video.

Nolan was a graduate of Saunders Trades and Technical High School. The lefty pitcher was drafted by the Oakland A's.

Jimmy Nolan points to Nashaun Hunter as he talks about his brother Michael while giving a statement during the sentencing of Hunter at the Westchester County Courthouse Nov. 16, 2016.

The shooting of Nolan occurred in the Burger King parking lot at 826 Central Park Ave. in Yonkers. Cole told Yonkers detectives that the group drove there to confront someone who had beaten their friend earlier that week, according to court documents.

Hunter fired six shots that were intended as a scare tactic, Cole told detectives, but two bullets struck Nolan as he stood outside a car with friends, according to court documents.

Nolan was rushed to a hospital and placed in a medically-induced coma. He died three weeks later.

The four suspects were arrested in March. Singh, 23, and Dawson, 19, each pleaded guilty to first-degree assault on July 27.

Hunter was initially charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter on July 27.

Cole was initially charged with first-degree assault but pleaded guilty on Aug. 3 to a reduced charge of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Warhit agreed to sentence him to five years in prison for his plea.

The case was prosecuted by Cornachio and James Bavero.

Twitter: @MattSpillane

Nashaun Hunter, right, appears in Westchester County Court with his attorney Sherman Jackson, July 27, 2016, to plead guilty in connection with the death of Mike Nolan, from Yonkers.