A Bridgeport woman says her cousin's killer appeared unrepentant as he was sentenced to 20 years behind bars Thursday.

April Barron, of Bridgeport, says she will never forget the experience of seeing 27-year-old Lamar Nalley, of Hamden, being sentenced in court.

He was charged and sentenced in the fatal shooting of her cousin, 21-year-old Khalil Abdul-Hakeem, of Bridgeport.

"Even if he had remorse, he damn sure didn't show it," said Barron.

Police say Abdul-Hakeem crashed his car into a gas station in West Haven in July of 2020, and upon investigating the accident, a police officer found the driver had been shot.

Barron, who also lost her son to gun violence in 2011, says she looked on as the man who was convicted of pulling the trigger received a 20-year sentence.

"They asked him twice, 'Would you like to say anything to the family?' They asked him. The judge gave him two opportunities. What would it have took for you to say, 'I apologize,'" she said. "The 20 years that you got, baby, I hope you completely change your life around, because what you did to this family? I can't even describe the pain, because it's an everlasting pain."

Barron says getting on with the routine of her daily life since the death of her cousin has not been easy, but at least now justice has been served.

"No matter how much time he got, he's in jail. He's not out here to commit another crime," she said.