A man was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the 2016 shooting that killed a Stamford teen.

The victim's family had strong reactions to Onaje Smith's, 25, decision to not be in the courtroom during his sentencing on Friday.

The victim's family called Smith a "coward."

Shane Slinsky was 18 years old when he was fatally shot on Wood Terrace in Bridgeport in August 2016.

Police said Slinsky's former best friend conspired with Smith to lure him to Bridgeport, where he was robbed and shot.

Smith waived his right to be present during sentencing and was taken away. Legal experts called his decision a "highly unusual" move.

"The fact that you can murder my son and then not have to stand out here to listen, regardless of what his lawyer said, to listen to what he has done, it's not OK," said the mother, Laura Slinsky.

"Your honor, Onaje Smith put our family in a lifetime of pain and hurt. He just left him there in the middle of the road to die alone," said the victim’s grandmother.

"His sentencing is 35 years, yes, but it's not 35 years. It's run concurrently with his 25 years for the crime spree, so for executing my child, he's getting 10 whole years. There's nothing to be thrilled about with this," Laura Slinsky said.

The victim’s girlfriend, Kayla Towne, said the family is trying to find peace in the memories of Shane.

"There's always his blue eyes that turn to blue skies and we feel him when it shines," Towne said.

They added that the sentence is not the justice they wanted.

"My kid was a great kid. Let's focus on how great he was and how Connecticut's system needs to change," Laura Slinsky stressed.

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