Occasionally, a court room can become very dramatic when a sentence is read, but the reaction in this 2010 case, in which 19-year-old Seandell Jackson received his sentencing, is insane.
Jackson was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide and robbery of 21-year-old University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee student, Nathan Potter. Jackson and 20-year-old Derek Thomas attempted to rob Potter, who was walking home to his apartment, and shot him to death.
Potter wasn’t carrying any money.
Jackson showed no remorse or sorrow during the trial over the victim’s death or his crime and even smiled at the victim’s family at one point when he was escorted out of the court room.
Potter’s father, John Potter, addressed Judge Rebecca Dallet during the trial, saying: “Judge, there is nothing that can be said to bring back our Nathan,” but he asked for punishment to fit the horrific crime. He asked, “Is there such a thing as pure evil? We think so.”
After being sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, Jackson grew violent, cursing at the judge. The police in the court room acted quickly, as the news reporter noted, “as if they anticipated it, which they did because of the convicted killer’s actions… during his trial.” He had to be restrained by officers, who utilized pepper spray.
While his reaction was intense, members of Jackson’s family in the back of the court room started hurling insults at Potter’s mother after the sentencing, saying, “I hate you, I hate you all!” and “God’s the judge.”
In a discussion of Jackson’s reaction captured on video on the site The Dreamin’ Demon, there were commenters who had a lot to say. One person noted: “That video of him smirking, little bastard, I’d love to unleash my mother’s wrath on him. The family… yuck, now you know where the worthless spawn are created.”
Another commenter noted that he’ll likely have a long time to think about his crime, remarking: “well at least his uncle turned him in, so the family is not all bad. For the record, getting anything overturned on appeal is pretty darn rare in criminal cases so he’ll most likely be there for the rest of his natural life.”
Others couldn’t wrap their heads around why Jackson’s family would fire off hate, given what their son had done, with one commenter noting: “I just cant understand how the family can tell the parents of a man they hate them, their son murdered him, and they hate?”
Another commenter shared: “OMG. Jackson’s family are idiots. How would they feel if their son was dead and the other family treated them like shit? The whole Jackson family should be locked away. Sick bastards obviously approve what their son did. The Potter family didn’t do anything wrong. The stupid smirking jackson kid did. I bet that loser isn’t smirking now. Pathetic.”
Another commenter agreed, writing: “How terrible — making this whole family who were already devastated by the death of their loved one, the gruelling torture of a trial, then to have his FAMILY verbally attack them, while their demon-spawn relative got into it physically with the guards!!”
