Michigan Man Uses Adele Song To Apologize To Victim and Court During Sentencing Hearing

Brian Earl Taylor, 21, last week had a unique way to show that he is soulful after being convicted for unlawful imprisonment and carrying a concealed weapon. He did so in song before an audience of Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O’Brien and assembled lawyers and onlookers. He chose “Hello” by Adele as shown in the video below.

“Hello there, your honor,” Taylor sang. “I want to say I’m sorry for the things I’ve done and I’ll try and be stronger in this life I chose, but I want you to know — that door, I closed.

“And your honor I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.”

He then offered similar renditions to the victim in his case, as well as his mother.

Judge Darlene O’Brien said Taylor was “obviously a talented young man” and she hopes he will take advantage of prison programs so he can reach his goals upon release.

If Taylor is going to straighten out his life, he would need to make some significant changes to his life and not just his repertoire. He was arrested after struggling with another man and holding a gun to his stomach on Nov. 9, 2015. Police alleged that three men including Taylor forced a 23-year-old Ypsilanti man into a vehicle at gunpoint and drove to a different location to rob him. The group then allegedly drove back to the apartment to complete the robbery.

Taylor has a history of criminal conduct. He was originally placed on probation for two counts of larceny from a person in 2013, but then violated his parole and was sent to prison in 2015.

Taylor told the court that he hopes to get a degree in business management at Eastern Michigan University and clean up his life to be a role model for his younger brother. He wanted a 36 months sentence to allow him to finish his degree before he turned 26 but, as the court explained, the minimum guideline range for his crimes was 50 to 100 months. So he received two years in prison put 18 months to 15 years for unlawful imprisonment. Five other charges were dismissed. He will first serve time for this parole violation before the weapons charge and then serve the time for the unlawful imprisonment.

Kudos: Bert Gieseman