Former MMA fighter War Machine has been sentenced to life for terrorizing his ex-girlfriend, Christy Mack & a friend in August of 2014.
Machine, real name Johnathon Koppenhaver, got the book thrown at him in court Monday, after being convicted of 29 felonies stemming from assaulting Mack & Corey Thomas in March. He was also found guilty of the two most serious charges: kidnapping & sexual assault with a weapon.
After his conviction, Koppenhaver seemed to view his looming lifelong incarceration as a positive, sharing his thoughts of the possibility on his Twitter page:
“Would you believe me, though, if I said that I have nothing but joy inside, even now as I am sure to receive some type of life sentence? It’s true. Often times I have heard men in neighboring cells go to their cells and cry after receiving such news, but how can I? How can I cry tears of sorrow over the circumstances responsible for saving my soul?” “These circumstances are what has transformed me into a real man, how can I disrespect god by weeping over them? How much is a soul worth? Is a life sentence too high a price? Not at all, I gladly trade this false life in for the real one to come; I have been nothing but blessed by all of this.”
Clark County district attorney Steven Wolfson spoke with the New York Daily News about his feelings on the harsh ruling:
“I expected a stiff sentence because this is a violent guy who committed violent acts with a violent history,” he said. “This sends a pretty strong message.”
War Machine will be up for parole in 36 years.
