By Luke Kenton, Daily Mail
An Oregon white supremacist who chased young Black man in his car and intentionally ran him over in 2016, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 28 years.
Russell Courtier, 40, who had been found guilty of murder, hit-and-run driving and the hate crime of second-degree intimidation in the death of 19-year-old Larnell Bruce, was issued the sentence on Tuesday.
He must serve the prison term in addition to a four-year sentenced he’d previously received for an attack on a man in a bar, in 2015.
Courtier and Bruce became ensnared in a fist-fight following an undisclosed verbal altercation outside a Multnomah County 7-Eleven, in August 2016.
Accompanied by Colleen Hunt, Courtier then got into his Jeep and, under the encouragement of his passenger, he viciously mowed-down the teenager.
Prosecutors argued Courtier was motivated by his white supremacist beliefs – saying he was a member of the European Kindred white supremacist prison gang.
Evidence presented in the courtroom determined that he was wearing the gang’s logo on his baseball cap when he encountered Bruce that fateful night. He also has the group’s crest tattooed on his leg.
Surveillance video showed Bruce standing outside the store when Courtier drove up and parked. A fight erupted, but it was not clear how it started, said prosecutor David Hannon.
Moments later CCTV captures Bruce running down a street and a sidewalk attempting to take ‘evasive action’ in an attempt to get away from Courtier’s Jeep.
Eventually, Bruce unfortunately succumbed to the chase and was struck by the vehicle. He died in hospital several days later.
Hannon called Courtier violent and “unapologetic” for his white supremacist views.
Bruce’s mother, Christina Miles, told Courtier during an emotional speech that he ‘allowed the devil to misguide you and take the life of such a beautiful young spirit.’
‘Why? Can you tell me why?’ She continued.
The defendant’s eyes began to redden and tear up as he started back at the victim’s bereaved family.
Larnell Bruce Sr., the victim’s father, said he hopes Courtier spends his time in prison thinking about whether he wants his own son, who is eight, to grow up among white supremacists.
‘That ideology that you have is not good for anybody,’ Bruce said.
Courtier did not speak during the sentencing because his lawyers said they advised him against doing so.
Hunt pleaded guilty to manslaughter, agreed to accept a 10-year prison term and was also sentenced on Tuesday afternoon.
This article originally appeared in Daily Mail.
