The man convicted of shooting an unarmed security guard and building manager at the Family Research Council on August 15, 2012, saying he wanted to kill “conservative right-wing Christians,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison today, was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison.
Floyd Lee Corkins II had plotted to kill “as many people as possible” at conservative organizations he viewed as anti-gay before he was stopped by the former guard, Leonardo Johnson.
Corkins entered the lobby armed with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, 100 rounds of ammunition, and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches. He started firing at FRC’s building manager Leo Johnson who heroically tackled the shooter after a gunshot shattered his arm.
Today Chief Judge Richard Roberts of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia sentenced Floyd Lee Corkins II, the perpetrator of a terrorist act at the Family Research Council (FRC) on August 15, 2012. Judge Roberts sentenced Corkins to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in February to three felony counts that included the charge of committing an act of terrorism while armed.
“The carnage you wanted did not happen only because an ordinary man showing extraordinary courage stopped you,” Roberts said before announcing Corkins’s prison term. “Killing human beings is not political activism. It is criminal behavior.”
In arguing for a stiffer sentence of 45 years, federal prosecutors Thursday equated Corkins with the man behind Monday’s shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard that left 12 people dead.
“Mr. Corkins was this close to accomplishing that,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Patrick Martin. “He was no less determined than the Navy Yard gunman. He was no less prepared.”
Corkins, 29, was easily able to purchase a semiautomatic pistol from a Virginia gun shop the week before the August 2012 shooting even though he was suffering from a chronic mental illness. Defense attorney David Bos recommended a sentence of 111 / 2 years and said the case was about “too easy access to firearms.”
Police found a hand-written list in Corkins’s front pants pocket with the names of three other socially conservative organizations. Had he succeeded with the shooting, Corkins told FBI agents he planned to go directly to the second organization on his list. Read More
Mr. Leo Johnson, who ultimately stopped Mr. Corkins’ attack, delivered a statement before the court, as did FRC President Tony Perkins. Mr. Perkins delivered his statement on behalf of the FRC staff.
Mr. Leo Johnson made the following comments during the sentencing:
“The actions of Floyd Lee Corkins have greatly impacted my life. I often experience feelings of anger and frustration when I think about all of the things that I have had, and continue, to endure both physically and psychologically as a result of this crime. I have had to endure surgery, with at least two more scheduled; painful, life-threatening blood clots which developed in my right lung; grueling physical therapy sessions; multiple medications and numerous doctors appointments as a result of this crime. My family was put under tremendous stress as well, as they tried to cope with the shock of what happened and the fear of not knowing whether I was even alive, let alone going to be OK.”
To read Mr. Johnson’s complete statement, click here: http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13I55.pdf
Mr. Perkins made the following comments during the sentencing:
“The attack at our headquarters did not just harm Leo. As the Court knows, Mr. Corkins’ stated intention was to kill as many FRC staff as possible to send a political message, a chilling, political message. But for Leo’s heroic conduct and the protective hand of the Lord, this crime might have ended like the tragic shooting that occurred earlier this week here in D.C.”
To read the complete FRC staff statement delivered by Mr. Perkins, click here: http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13I54.pdf
“As the Court knows, Mr. Corkins’ stated intention was to kill as many FRC staff as possible to send a political message. But for Leo’s heroic conduct, and the protective hand of the Lord, this crime might have ended as one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism the District of Columbia has ever seen. Today we are not seeking vengeance, but we do seek justice…
Many on our staff and in their families have suffered ongoing emotional and psychological harm and have changed their daily lives in response to the attack. Every day, our staff has to deal with the fact that each of us was a potential victim. The facts show that he planned his attack in great detail and hoped for massive casualties…. prosecutors revealed that Mr. Corkins had obtained our building location from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s website.
He was clearly inspired by the [SPLC]’s labeling of FRC as a “hate group” based on our belief that marriage can only take place between one man and one woman… His goal and that of the SPLC is to silence those with whom they disagree. In a civil society, shutting down debate is not how reasonable people and organizations operate. Intimidating and bullying others shreds the “ordered liberty” of which our Founders wrote and for which they advocated, and places all of us in jeopardy of losing our sacred rights as militant extremists claim the public square exclusively for themselves.”
Confessed Terrorist Floyd Corkins Admits to Using SPLC Target List
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