WAFFLEHOUSEGUNMANGETSLIFEINPRISON

mation about the investigations,as wellasGreenberg’s cooperation.Becauseofthe confidentialnature of that information, that request andanysubsequenthearing should besealed and kept outofthepubliceye, Schellersaidinthecourtpapers. ThejudgelateronFriday granted the request to seal themotionaskingfor a delay.

Greenberg isfacingup to 12 yearsinprison after pleading guilty last May to sixfederalcrimes,including sex traffickingof a child, identity theft,stalking,wire fraudand conspiracy to bribea publicofficial.

Greenberg’s plea agreementwith prosecutors requires continued cooperationwith anongoing probe into sex trafficking. Hiscooperationcouldplaya roleinan ongoinginvestigationinto Gaetz,who was accusedofpaying a 17-year-old girlforsex.Hehasdenied theallegations.

BY JONATHANMATTISE

NASHVILLE Tenn. Amanwhoshotand killed fourpeopleata Nashville WaffleHouse in2018 received a sentence oflifeimprisonmentwithoutthepossibility ofparole on Saturday.

Jurorshandeddown the penalty for 33-year-old TravisReinkingafter hearing about two hours of testimony from familymembers ofthefourpeoplekilled. Theysobbedandtrembled as theytalked about their loved ones and how losing them continues to fracture theirlivesmore thanthree yearslater Jurorshadthe option of givingReinking the chanceforparoleafter serving 51 yearsinprison.

Naked save for a green jacket,Reinkingopened fire inside the restaurant justafter 3:20a.m. on April 22, 2018, killing TaureanSanderlin, 29; JoeyPerez,20;Akilah Dasilva, 23; andDeEbony Groves, 21. He fled after restaurantpatron James Shaw Jr wrestledhisassault-stylerifle away from him,triggering a manhunt.

“I’ve alwaysbeensomebodythat theysay isunbreakable becausenomatter what our family has been through,Iwillalwaysbethe one to bringourfamilyup,”

PatriciaPerezsaidthrough tears aboutlosingherson Joey “Thishasbrokenme.”

Jurors on Friday rejected Reinking’s insanity defense astheyfoundhim guilty on 16 charges,includingfour countsof first-degree murder Thetrial opened Mondayafter jury selection the previous week. Prosecutors in2020indicatedthey would notseekthe death penalty and wouldseeklifewithout parole.

Reinking’s defense team, which didn’tput on anysentencingwitnessesSaturday, arguedforthepossibility of parole,sayinghe was mentallyuntethered.Prosecutorsarguedthe evidence showsReinking planned out theattack and wanted to kill everyoneatthe restaurant.

Prosecutorsalsodirected jurors’attentionback to heart-wrenching testimony fromfamilymembers.

ShaundelleBrooks saidher sonAkilahDasilva wasa giftedartist,a brilliantstudentand a talentedmusicianwhobuilthis own computer to work onhismusic, which heused to urge people toturn away from gun violence.

“Heloved his family but mostofallAkilah wanted to live,”Brooks said,crying. “He wanted to create positive change inthis world.He showed compassion,not anger Hespreadlove, not hate.”

Evidenceattrial showed Reinkinghadschizophrenia andhadsuffereddelusions for years,believingunknown people were tormenting him.He contactedlaw enforcementseveraltimes to report that he was being threatened,stalkedandharassed. In July2017, he was detainedby theSecretService after he venturedunarmed intoa restrictedareaonthe White House groundsand demanded to meetwith then-PresidentDonald Trump. State policeinIllinois, where helivedatthetime, revoked Reinking’s state firearms owneridentification.But thatonlymeanthe had toturn overhis guns to someoneelse with valid identification. Reinking surrendered the guns to hisfather wholater returned them to hisson.

Since law enforcement declined to take his delusionsseriously Reinkingbegan to feelthattheyand otherrandompeople were part of a conspiracyagainst him,psychologists testified. Shortlybefore theattack he believed someonehad drugged him brokeninto his apartmentandrapedhim. Reinking toldpsychologists thatwhilepraying about what to do,he receiveda command fromGod togoto the WaffleHouseandshoot three people

To prove Reinking was not guilty by reasonof insanity, defenseattorneyshad to show thathesuffered from severe mentalillness that left himunable to understandthewrongfulnessof his actions. Prosecutorspresented evidencethatReinking was calmand cooperative after hisarrest,able to understand and respond to commands. AlthoughReinking was naked whenhe walked fromthe crimescene,whenhe was captured nearly two dayslater he was dressedandcarrying a backpackloaded with water bottles,sunscreen,a pistol,ammunition, a Bible andseveralsilverbars.And theymentionedhehadasked to talk to anattorneyafter his arrest.

The jury also convicted Reinkingonfour countsof attempted first-degree murderandfour countsofunlawful employment of a firearmduring commissionofor attempt to commit a dangerousfelony Mattisewrites for TheAssociated Press.