PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Four months after a jury unanimously convicted him of killing 2 people and critically wounding a third on a MAX train 3 years ago, the sentencing of Jeremy Christian began Tuesday.

And it didn’t take long for the convicted killer to be removed from the court.

Only 19 people were in Judge Cheryl Albrecht’s courtroom for the sentencing in an effort to ensure physical distancing is maintained during the proceeding.

As many as 15 people began providing victim impact statements before sentencing is officially imposed on the killer. Those people either took the stand by video or came from a holding area to make their statement on the witness stand.

Impact statements went long and Judge Albrecht ruled the hearing would continue at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Outburst got Christian tossed

Shortly after 11 a.m., victim impact statements began. The first to take the stand was Demetria Hester, who was very direct.

“You are a waste of breath. When you die and go to hell, I hope you rot,” Hester said.

Before she was done, Christian stood up at the defense table, ripped off his facemask and screamed at her: “I should have killed you!”

He was handcuffed by deputies and immediately led out of the courtroom.

“Mr. Christian was warned that if he acted out in court, he would be removed,” Judge Albrecht said. “He will not be coming back to court.”

Christian was not be in court for the rest of the victim impact statements on Tuesday, but may be allowed back in for allocution and sentencing.

Warning: Graphic Language

Others who provided victim impact statements in the morning session were Zhada Allen, who was on the MAX train that day, and the brother and son of Ricky Best, who died in the attack.

“You tried to bring me down and you still lost,” Allen said. “I not only survived hate speech from a supremacist man but I thrive and I will forever thrive.”

Judge Cheryl Albrecht presides at the sentencing for Jeremy Christian in the MAX attack killings, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)

Christian, who killed Taliesin Namkai-Meche and Ricky Best and critically wounded Micah Fletcher on the Green Line as it pulled into the Hollywood Transit Center in the afternoon of May 26, 2017, faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

He pleaded not guilty on 12 charges: two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of second-degree assault, three counts of second-degree intimidation, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of menacing.

The jury that unanimously convicted him on all 12 charges on February 21, 2020 also reached a unanimous conclusion on enhanced factors that Judge Albrecht can use when she imposes his prison sentence.

  • Jeremy Christian in court for the third week of trial. Monday, February 10, 2020 (KOIN)
  • PPB Homicide Detective Michele Michaels holds up the murder weapon in the MAX attack during the Jeremy Christian trial, February 4, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Jeremy Christian and Ricky Best (circled) on the MAX train shortly before the May 26, 2017. Screen grab from video played during the trial, February 5, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Jeremy Christian and Ricky Best (circled) on the MAX train shortly before the May 26, 2017. Screen grab from video played during the trial, February 5, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Jeremy Christian gets up as Micah Fletcher, Taliesin Namkai-Meche and Ricky Best confront him moments before they were stabbed on a MAX train in 2017. Screen grab from video during trial, January 29, 2020
  • A still frame from May 26, 2017 cell phone video shows Jeremy Christian holding a knife moments before he stabbed 3 people, killing 2. Video shown during his trial, January 28, 2020 (KOIN)
  • A still photo moments before the stabbing on a MAX Green Line shows Jeremy Christian, left, and Micah Fletcher in a confrontation. Photo released on the first day of trial, January 28, 2020 (KOIN)
  • This still image taken from cellphone video shows Jeremy Christian (left), Taliesin Namkai-Meche (middle) and Micah Fletcher (right) on May 26, 2017. The image was one of several shown during opening statements of the MAX attack trial, Jan. 28, 2020. (KOIN)
  • This still image taken from cellphone video shows Jeremy Christian (left), Micah Fletcher (foreground) and Taliesin Namkai-Meche (background) on May 26, 2017. The image was one of several shown during opening statements of the MAX attack trial, Jan. 28, 2020. (KOIN)
  • Convicted killer Jeremy Christian in the courtroom for his sentencing in the MAX attack killings, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Convicted killer Jeremy Christian in the courtroom for his sentencing in the MAX attack killings, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Judge Cheryl Albrecht presides at the sentencing for Jeremy Christian in the MAX attack killings, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Demetria Hester speaks at Jeremy Christian sentencing June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Convicted killer Jeremy Christian stares down Demetria Hester during her victim impact statement moments before an outburst that got him removed from court, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Convicted killer Jeremy Christian yells at Demetria Hester during her victim impact statement during an outburst that got him removed from court, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Convicted killer Jeremy Christian yells at Demetria Hester during her victim impact statement during an outburst that got him removed from court, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Jeremy Christian is restrained after an outburst during his sentencing June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Eric Best, the son of Ricky Best, one of the victims killed in Jeremy Christian’s attack, speaks at Christian’s sentencing June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • The brother of Ricky Best, one of the victims killed in Jeremy Christian’s attack, speaks at Christian’s sentencing June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Zhada Allen speaks at Jeremy Christian sentencing June 23, 2020 (KOIN)
  • Jeremy Christian sits outside the courtroom with his lawyer and deputies after he was tossed for an outburst during his sentencing, June 24, 2020. (KOIN)
  • Shawn Forde delivers his victim impact statement during the sentencing of Jeremy Christian in the MAX killings, June 23, 2020 (KOIN)

Those 6 factors are:

  • That there is a high probability that the defendant cannot be rehabilitated.
  • That the defendant’s crimes were precipitated by his unreasonable racial and religious bias.
  • That the defendant demonstrated no remorse for his acts.
  • That the defendant’s acts demonstrated his callous disregard for the value of human life.
  • That the defendant is likely to commit future acts of violence.
  • That defendant was at least 18 years of age at the time the murders were committed.

Complete KOIN Coverage: The MAX Attack Trial

MAX Attack victims Ricky Best and Taliesin Namkai-Meche and survivor Micah Fletcher (KOIN)