Emotions ran high Friday during the sentencing of convicted murderer Lewis Mitchell Jr.

As Lewis Mitchell entered the courtroom clothed in a red jumpsuit, victims prepared to address him and the court.

Desmond Jones, 24, said he has waited since July 5, 2009, to ask the man who shot him multiple times, left him for dead and took the life of his best friend, Antonio Jermaine Mitchell, one question: Why?

Jones began his speech in a calm manner.

“I know you aren’t supposed to question God, but I want to ask the question, why,” Jones said.

As Jones, a father of three young children, addressed Lewis Mitchell Jr., no emotion came from the convicted man. No movement was seen. Lewis Mitchell Jr. never turned to Jones nor made eye contact.

Jones’ calm demeanor changed as he mentioned all the people Lewis Mitchell Jr. hurt.

On Feb. 3, a Lowndes County jury convicted Lewis Mitchell Jr., 21, of

 malice murder and aggravated assault in the shooting death of Antonio Jermaine Mitchell, 24, and the shooting of Jones. On the July 4 weekend of 2009, both men were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies outside of Stone Creek Apartments on Melody Lane. In subsequent weeks, Valdosta police arrested six people in connection with this case.

“So many are hurting from what you did,” Jones said as his volume increased. “Your parents, my parents,

grandparents, children … all the people in this courtroom … you hurt so many people, not just me. All the pain … the doctors’ visits … Jermaine missed his daughter’s first birthday.”

The victim’s words and emotion caused an outburst of tears and sobbing in the small Lowndes County jail courtroom. Jones’ father, Tony, Assistant Southern District Attorney Brad Shealy and Carla Williams, a victim’s advocacy representative, comforted Jones as he spoke.

Jones apologized to the court but asked to continue addressing Lewis Mitchell Jr., a person whom he said he has known for years and who betrayed him.

“We grew up together,” Jones said. “We know each other’s families. You took his life and left me to die in that truck … for what … over $23? Why, man?”

In concluding, Jones again apologized to the judge, and said to Lewis Mitchell Jr., “May God be with you.”

Following Jones was James Mitchell, Antonio Jermaine Mitchell’s father. He expressed his heartbreak when he received that “horrific” phone call in the early morning hours of July 5, 2009.

“I went crazy,” James Mitchell said. “They (police) said it was robbery, but it was an intentional killing.”

The heartbroken father quoted the biblical Romans 12:13 and added he often referred to the Bible to remain calm.

“I am a good Christian person, and I know the Lord does not make mistakes. He will see that justice is served.”

The assistant district attorney thanked the court for the time it allowed the victims to speak then he gave a statement.

“In my many years of prosecuting murder cases, this is one of the most horrific cases I have had to try,” Shealy said.

When concluding his statement, Shealy requested that Lewis Mitchell Jr. be sentenced to life in prison.

The convicted man did not speak on his behalf, but his father and his attorney, Greg Voyles, asked the court for leniency.

“My child is not a cold-blooded murderer,” Lewis Mitchell Sr. said. “The only time he missed church is while he has been incarcerated. I ask the court to allow him to see the light of day again.”

Voyles echoed the words of the father and said he found Lewis Mitchell Jr. to be a polite and courteous young man. He asked the judge for a sentence that would allow parole.

“There’s no question it’s a tragic case,” Southern Circuit Judge Richard Cowart said before handing down his sentence. “There are no winners here today. Nothing can be done to bring Antonio back.”

Cowart sentenced Lewis Mitchell Jr. to life in prison (with the possibility of parole) for the charge of malice murder, five years for possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, 20 years for aggravated assault and five years for another count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, to run consecutively.