Life-long bond! In an unheard of case, a US man was sentenced to 53 years in jail by a judge, who then presided over his marriage ceremony, a few minutes after the verdict.
Danne Desbrow, 36, was sentenced to life in prison by San Diego Superior Court Judge Patricia Cookson, after being convicted of the murder of another man in Lemon Grove a decade ago.
He was then married to 33 year-old Destiny by the same judge who had sentenced him to 53 years behind bars on September 17, U-T San Diego reported.
Desbrow also got a slice of cake to eat in the courtroom, baked by the judge herself.
The wedding ceremony, which came minutes after what several witnesses described as an emotional sentencing hearing, was highly unusual.
Judges frequently marry people, and occasionally perform marriage ceremonies for people in custody. But doing so in the courtroom after sending the groom to a lifetime behind bars is pretty much unheard of.
Desbrow, was sentenced for the killing of Kevin Santos in 2003. Deputy District Attorney Joe McGlaughlin said the case went unsolved for years until a witness came forward and gave key information pointing to Desbrow.
After a two-month trial, jurors convicted Desbrow of first-degree murder. It was during the trial that Desbrow popped the question to his wife-to-be Destiny.
Destiny sat through each day of the trial. After the proposal she said she went to Cookson's chambers and asked if the judge would marry them at sentencing.
"She called me back and said yes, she would," Destiny was quoted as saying by the paper.
Destiny said she was somewhat surprised the judge agreed.
The judge's secretary even called two days ahead of time to make sure everything was in order, rings, notary, documents.
After the sentencing, judge Cookson, dressed in her judicial robes, came down off the bench, carrying a Bible, and performed a full wedding ceremony.
