A Michigan man broke out in song during his court sentencing for unlawful imprisonment and carrying a concealed weapon last week. In an impassioned plea to the judge, he riffed upon the melody of the universally beloved Adele ballad, "Hello," to apologize for his crimes.
Brian Earl Taylor, 21, who was arrested in November 2015 for holding a gun to another man’s abdomen during a robbery in Ypsilanti, Michigan, performed his rendition in a room full of onlookers to appeal to Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O’Brien, according to MLive.
Police suspected that Taylor and two other people held a 23-year-old man at gunpoint, forced him into a vehicle and drove to the man's apartment to rob him.
"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 finished.
Taylor proceeded to apologize to his mother and the victim in the minute-long performance. He also expressed to the judge that he plans to get a degree in business management from Eastern Michigan University and become more involved in his local church to be a better role model for his younger brother and provide for his mother.
Although O'Brien stated that Taylor was "obviously a talented young man," she denied his request that he only serve 36 months, so he can complete his degree by the age of 26, according to MLive. Instead, the judge stated that the minimum sentencing range for his crimes was 50 to 100 months.
Despite his moving performance, Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison for carrying a concealed weapon and 18 months to 15 years for the unlawful imprisonment charge. MLive reports that five additional charges against him in the case were dismissed.
Before serving time for the weapons charge, however, Taylor will first serve a sentence for a previous parole violation.
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