Minnesota man gets 2 life sentences for killing Democratic lawmaker and her husband

The Minnesota man who pleaded guilty to killing a top Democratic lawmaker and her husband was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison on Thursday, a little over a year after the political attacks.

Vance Boelter, 59, was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison after pleading guilty in June to the six counts related to the killings of House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.

Fellow lawmakers and survivors of the shooting spoke earlier in the hearing, describing the lasting fear and physical harm that Boelter caused.

Boelter pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty; instead, he agreed to the maximum sentence he could be issued short of the death penalty. Mark Hortman’s father and siblings voiced their anger that he would not face the death penalty.

Wearing orange prison garb and shackled at the ankles, Boelter sat extremely still, never looking at the survivors and family members as they read their victim impact statements.

Read more: AP