NORFOLK, Va. -- Judge Charles Poston told Rand Hooper his sentence was "reasonable," and it would not be reduced during a court hearing in a Norfolk courtroom on Friday.
Hooper appeared via video conference in a bright yellow jumpsuit from St. Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake after technical difficulties caused him to miss the first part of his attorney's arguments.
The correctional facility appeared to have trouble getting Hooper to appear on the screen in the courtroom for at least 15 minutes, and Craig Cooley, Hooper's attorney, said he would just get started.
Poston sentenced Hooper to six years behind bars in May for leaving his friend, Graham McCormick, to die in the Rappahannock River after crashing his parent's boat while drunk.
The crash happened over five years ago in August of 2017 in Lancaster County, but the trial was ultimately moved to Norfolk because of concerns that the jury pool would be tainted.
Hooper was transferred to St. Brides on August 2, and, soon after, his lawyer filed the motion for a reduced sentence.
Judge Poston said he considered Hooper's son, wife and the length of time that had elapsed since the offense when he imposed the sentence, and he felt it was a " reasonable sentence."
"I didn't want him incarcerated so long he couldn't participate in the raising of his child," Poston said.
Cooley argued the four-and-a-half years when Hooper's life was in limbo waiting for the case to finish should be taken into consideration by Poston.
"He was held for 40 months because he was on bond," Cooley said.
Hooper was out on bond during that time, and Poston confirmed with Cooley that he was never on "pretrial supervision."
King William County Commonwealth's Attorney Matthew Kite, who served as the Special Prosecutor in this case, said Hooper has appealed the jury verdict in the case.
"Our office has been in touch with the Attorney General's office to assist them in any way, but the appeal process takes some time," Kite said.
Hooper clutched a phone to listen in to the proceedings and did not appear to have much reaction when he learned his sentence would not be reduced.
