NEW BRITAIN — Thursday was sentencing day for Noah Hendron. The Wethersfield High School teen was found guilty of manslaughter in the 2017 shooting of his classmate, Vincent Basile.
Hendron received a 20 year sentence out of a maximum 40 years. He sat in court with his head down for most of the proceedings.
Outside the courthouse, Lorena Frusciante, the mother of Vincent Basile carried a picture of the happiest moment of her life.
It was the birth picture of Vincent Basile.
“My son is the kind of kid who would’ve said mom try and forgive, but I can’t,” said Frusciante.
Basile was 16 years old when he was killed in 2017 by Noah Hendron.
Hendron was 18 at the time. He’s 20 years old now. Frusciante says the world of a grieving parent is a different one.
“Everything is merry Christmas, happy birthday, happy new year. Everything is happy. Good morning. All of those things do not apply to grieving parents, it’s forever changed,” said Fruciante.
In regard to the sentence, Frusciante said, “It’s not enough justice. At all. If it was 35 or maybe 40 but this is a slap in the face.”
Hendron delivered a remorseful message during his opportunity to for a statement.
“Even though I can’t take back what I did, I can make sure it will never happen again. And it wont. I’ll remain sober and I will try my best to work to repay my debt to society,” said Hendron.
It was on a November night in 2017 when Hendron intentionally shot Basile, his Wethersfield High School classmate, while showing off a gun. In the days that followed Hendron tried to pin the crime on others and threw the gun in a storm drain.
“My actions were stupid. They were juvenile, and I was not thinking. If I could go back and change them I would,” Hendron said.
Inside the courtroom, the culmination of years of grief poured out in emotional victim impact statements.
“I had an awful feeling that moment I even told him. I thought something terrible was going to happen,” said Frusciante.
Outside the courthouse, Hendron’s attorney Gerald Klein, who said, “I have no reason to think he’s not remorseful. He certainly should be. And he should be grateful to this judge.”
Hendron’s Attorney told me that he will advise Hendron not to file an appeal. He’s pleased with the 20 year sentence. Hendron already has two years time served and will be eligible for parole.