The man had remained calm during most of the hearing, but when the judge read out the decades-long punishment, he visibly shook, clutched his head, and nearly collapsed. Court officers had to steady him as he muttered in disbelief, struggling to process the reality of spending most of his life in prison.

Witnesses say his reaction was so intense it shocked the room, with some describing it as “watching a person’s whole world crumble in a single moment.”

Clips of the sentencing have since gone viral, sparking debate online — with some saying the punishment was deserved, and others calling it excessive given his age and circumstances.