Man says ‘I’m good’ to consecutive life terms
As he was led from court Thursday, Christopher M. Anderson didn’t seem like a man just sentenced to consecutive life terms with no chance to seek supervised release.
Anderson, 24, said “I’m good,” as he waved to a relative and winked at the veteran prosecutor who had called Anderson’s offenses “one of the most wanton and inhumane crime sprees I’ve seen.”
Over the course of about a month last fall, Anderson killed two people, tried to kill two more and set a man on fire after dousing him in gasoline.
Since his convictions in April, he’s been charged with soliciting the murders of three more “rats” from inside jail.
“It shows the defendant and his group believe they are untouchable,” Assistant District Attorney Grant Huebner said.
By projecting the fear that any police cooperation could result in death, Huebner said, the gang hopes to chill its community’s willingness to share information.
“And then they can do whatever they want,” he said.
That’s why Huebner requested the absolute maximum sentences for not only the two homicides and attempted homicides, but four other counts ranging from kidnapping to armed robbery to having a gun as a felon. “You should not be given another opportunity to do what you’ve done,” Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Wagner said.
He recounted hearing the testimony from the man who survived being immolated, shot at, and a leap through a window. That man and his girlfriend had been kidnapped at gunpoint by Anderson’s crew who thought the victims had drugs and money at their residence. When none could be found there, Anderson told an associate, “Get the gas.”
Anderson told Wagner he is not the monster portrayed by the prosecution. “My sympathies go out to the victims’ families,” he said. “But I’m an innocent person, in the wrong place at the wrong time.”