US judge jails man for 53 years then presides over his wedding

Image
Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Oct 01 2013 | 4:56 PM IST
Life-long bond! In an unheard of case, a US man was sentenced to 53 years in jail by a judge, who then presided over his marriage ceremony, a few minutes after the verdict.
Danne Desbrow, 36, was sentenced to life in prison by San Diego Superior Court Judge Patricia Cookson, after being convicted of the murder of another man in Lemon Grove a decade ago.
He was then married to 33 year-old Destiny by the same judge who had sentenced him to 53 years behind bars on September 17, U-T San Diego reported.
Desbrow also got a slice of cake to eat in the courtroom, baked by the judge herself.
The wedding ceremony, which came minutes after what several witnesses described as an emotional sentencing hearing, was highly unusual.
Judges frequently marry people, and occasionally perform marriage ceremonies for people in custody. But doing so in the courtroom after sending the groom to a lifetime behind bars is pretty much unheard of.
Desbrow, was sentenced for the killing of Kevin Santos in 2003. Deputy District Attorney Joe McGlaughlin said the case went unsolved for years until a witness came forward and gave key information pointing to Desbrow.
After a two-month trial, jurors convicted Desbrow of first-degree murder. It was during the trial that Desbrow popped the question to his wife-to-be Destiny.
Destiny sat through each day of the trial. After the proposal she said she went to Cookson's chambers and asked if the judge would marry them at sentencing.
"She called me back and said yes, she would," Destiny was quoted as saying by the paper.
Destiny said she was somewhat surprised the judge agreed.
The judge's secretary even called two days ahead of time to make sure everything was in order, rings, notary, documents.
After the sentencing, judge Cookson, dressed in her judicial robes, came down off the bench, carrying a Bible, and performed a full wedding ceremony.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 01 2013 | 4:56 PM IST

Next Story