The
man who set fire to a DC strip club and burned a bouncer
will be spending the next 30 years and 8 months behind
bars.Vasile
Graure was sentenced Wednesday morning in DC Superior
Court for setting a fire at Good Guys in 2007 in
retaliation
for being kicked out of the club. One of the club's
bouncers who tried to stop Graure suffered burns to more
than 80 percent of his body.
Prosecutors wanted
Graure to receive a sentence of 45 years. Judge Robert
Richter says the sentence given to Graure was based on
guidelines and previous sentences given for similar
crimes. Richter told Graure if he thought the sentence
could make the victim whole again he would "give him the
chair".
The victim's wife
and father both spoke at the sentencing. The victim, who
has been hospitalized for the last 17 months, also had
his say when prosecutors played a previously videotaped
statement.
Graure claims he
doesn't remember setting the fire and has never
apologized to the victim. Judge Richter said his
sentence was influenced by Graure's lack of mercy and
remorse.
Graure will also
have to pay $1200 restitution and upon release will face
supervised parole for five years. Officials say Graure,
a Romanian national, will likely be deported after he
serves his sentence.
