“I’LL BE HOME SOON…” — Defendant Smiles as Victim’s Family Speaks, Judge Explodes

⁣This is actual courtroom footage from the 2017 sentencing of Danta Wright, who was 17 when he was involved in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Jordan Klee in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his ⁣accomplices of ⁣Jermarius Ellison and Delrano Gracey.


Wright had admitted that he and two other teens were attempting to rob Klee when Wright shot him. Klee was a Pioneer High School senior with aspirations of becoming an engineer.


During Wright's sentencing hearing, members of Jordan Klee's family delivered heartbreaking victim-impact statements. What happened next stunned the courtroom: Wright was seen smiling, laughing and shaking his head during the statements.


Judge David Swartz stopped the proceedings and confronted Wright over his behavior. The judge said he was seriously considering rejecting the negotiated plea agreement and sending the case to trial, warning that a felony-murder conviction could mean Wright would spend the rest of his life in prison.


Wright ultimately received a sentence of 25–52 years, including the additional two-year felony-firearm sentence. The judge did not sentence him to 285 years. That claim has circulated online, but it is not what actually happened.


Wright's attorney later argued that the smiling was not intended as disrespect and suggested that fear and emotional issues could have contributed to his behavior. The Klee family ultimately chose not to have the plea agreement thrown out and proceed through another trial.


This is a disturbing look at a real courtroom moment—and a reminder that sometimes the most shocking part of a criminal case happens after the crime, inside the courtroom.


Watch the footage and decide for yourself.