Courtroom Crooner Channels Adele at Sentencing

Michigan man is apparently very sorry
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 18, 2016 7:15 AM CDT

A convicted felon may be rolling in the deep (trouble), but that didn't stop him from breaking out into song during his recent sentencing hearing, the Ann Arbor News reports. Singer Adele was the apparent inspiration behind the courtroom crooning of 21-year-old Brian Earl Taylor, who appeared March 10 before a Washtenaw County, Mich., judge to hear his fate on unlawful imprisonment and concealed weapon charges. "Hello there, your honor," Taylor can be heard serenading Judge Darlene O'Brien in a courtroom video, apparently paraphrasing Adele's hit song "Hello." "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."

Taylor closed out his minute-long a cappella plea, performed before a seemingly staid audience, with: "And your honor I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry" before also apologizing to his victim and his own mom. Taylor, who was on parole when he was arrested in November, was one of three men accused of forcing a 23-year-old man into a car and robbing him. O'Brien told Taylor he was "obviously a talented young man" and that she hopes he'll enroll in prison programs that will help him achieve his goals—which he noted to the court include getting a business degree, going to church more, and staying away from pot—when he gets out. She sentenced him to two years in prison for carrying a concealed weapon, and 18 months to 15 years for the unlawful imprisonment charge. (A "nocturnal nightingale" caused the police to be called in Amsterdam.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X