Nearly two years ago, Zachary Carr shot and killed John “Bobby” Surles, 19, of Bangor in a street fight between two rival groups.
His mother said outside the courtroom that the sentence was a bit too long. Holly Carr, of Hampden, said that because of how events unfolded on the night of Jan. 27, 2010, her son should have been sentenced to 25 years, the minimum sentence.
“The responsibility for Bobby’s death fell on [Zachary],” she said. “None of the others took responsibility for what happened. I pray and hope the kids involved will find better things to do with their lives than terrorize Bangor.”
The rivalry that led to Surle’s death still was evident outside the courthouse after the sentencing when Bangor police searched an SUV and found a handgun after a friend of Surles reportedly flashed an empty holster at Carr’s friends.
No charges have been filed, Sgt. Chip Hodges said Friday afternoon.
“There was a gun found in a car nearby,” he said. “It wasn’t being flashed around. … We took it as a security thing.”
Police have been called to the courthouse during previous court hearings involving the murder case, and Friday’s scene — with family members and friends of both Surles and Carr on hand — was described as “tense” by Hodges.
Carr was found guilty of murder and not guilty of manslaughter by a Penobscot County jury in March after a weeklong trial. He faced a maximum sentence of life. The state does not have a death penalty.
“I’ve made some mistakes,” a tearful Carr told Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy shortly before she imposed the sentence. “I sincerely express remorse to Bobby’s family. I made some poor decisions that I wish I could change.”
Carr did not react when the judge announced the sentence.
Assistant Attorney General Andrew Benson, who prosecuted the case, on Friday called Surles’ death a gang-style execution. He recommended that Carr be sentenced to 40 years behind bars.
Defense attorney F. David Walker IV described the fight between the two groups as a street brawl. He urged Murphy to impose the minimum sentence.
Mary Ann Suddy, Surles’ grandmother, who adopted him when he was 10, described keeping vigil at his bedside as he lost his battle to live less than 24 hours after he was shot.
“I truly believe he knew he was dying,” she said. “He fought hard for his life.”
A weeping Suddy urged Murphy to impose a sentence longer than the mandatory minimum.
In court zachary carr said he knows he made a terrible mistake and he will have to live with that the rest of his life. Carrs mother says 35 years is too harsh of a punishment.
Despite the time that's gone by tension is still high between friends of Surles and Carr. Police say one of Carr's friends was wearing a gun holster and made threatening statements outside the courtroom and they removed a gun from a car in front of the building.
Police say right now no charges have been filed for the gun they confiscated.
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