A Lengthy Island man convicted of stabbing and robbing a funeral residence director in 2023 exploded in a Suffolk County courtroom Tuesday — making an attempt to fireside his legal professional, interrupting prosecutors and calling the choose “the devil” earlier than receiving a 25-year jail sentence.
Jason Funderburke, 39, who was convicted by a jury in March, stormed into the courtroom Wednesday and tried to reject its authority to ship a sentence — obnoxiously objecting each time the prosecutor spoke and inflicting the choose to inform him to “shut up” through the testy proceedings.
“I’m not being sentenced today,” Funderburke stated on the high of his lungs, claiming the state introduced “no evidence” of his guilt.
“You were convicted by a jury of your peers,” a befuddled Decide Timothy Mazzei replied.
Funderburke, who hails from Hempstead, then started shouting over the choose, rattling off random cherry-picked sections of state and federal regulation, accusing the court docket of violating his First and 14th Modification rights.
He additionally refused to deal with the choose with respect, as a substitute calling him “Mr. Mazzei” as a result of he’s “not honorable.”
“Will you shut up?!” the choose finally snapped at Funderburke, briefly eradicating him from the court docket earlier than bringing him again for last sentencing.
His legal professional requested the choose to consider his consumer’s “clear and serious mental health issues” displayed all through the trial — which solely additional enraged Funderburke, main him to try to fireside his authorized counsel on the spot.
“You don’t represent me! I’ll represent myself,” he shouted.
Ultimately, the choose proceeded to condemn Funderburke amid his defiant screams and objections – sentencing him to 25 years and kicking him out of the court docket.
“Have a good day,” Funderburke stated sarcastically as he was dragged out by court docket officers.
“It’ll be better than yours,” Mazzei shot again.
“No, you won’t because you’re the devil,” the convicted man yelled on the choose as he was taken away.
In line with proof introduced at trial, the unidentified director of an Amityville funeral residence was coming into his enterprise on Aug. 23, 2023, when he was rushed by Funderburke and an confederate.
Funderburke and his confederate then confirmed the proprietor an image of his household and demanded that the funeral residence proprietor empty his pockets whereas brandishing a knife.
When he refused, Funderburke and his confederate stabbed him twice and stole his pockets and telephones, the DA stated.
The unidentified sufferer survived the stabbing.
“We will not tolerate violent attacks in Suffolk County,” District Legal professional Ray Tierney stated. “This three-time convicted felon made the selection to rob and stab an proprietor of a funeral residence, somebody who serves our group throughout their most solemn moments.
“Let me be clear that we will do everything in our power to protect our citizens from violent criminals. This sentence will ensure that defendant Funderburke is no longer able to hurt our residents.”
