Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge James L. Miraldi said Jan. 4 was his hardest day on the bench, and he indicated he was scared before granting an Oberlin woman judicial release.

Adrianna M. Young, 26, who was on closed-circuit television in the courtroom from prison, did not speak, but wept nearly throughout the hearing that ended with her release after serving nearly eight months of a 54-month prison term for crashing her car July 28, 2015, into a Leavitt Road home, killing 34-year-old Debra Majkut and permanently scarring her 5-month-old son as they sat on a couch in their living room.

Young pleaded guilty March 9, 2017, to aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and drug possession.

Miraldi sentenced Young on May 11 to prison with the possibility of judicial release.

As part of her release, Young will be on intensive probation for five years including zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol, must complete 200 hours of community service and receive treatment for mental illness.

Her driver’s license was revoked for life when she was initially sentenced.

At the time, Miraldi said he would be open to releasing Young after six months if she had a good warden’s report.

Defense attorney Jack Bradley argued Young was a model inmate.

Bradley recited a transcript of the March 9 plea hearing that Miraldi was bound to grant the release.

“At that time, the state of Ohio indicated to the court that they could not make any agreement for sentencing, but that the court indicated that they would be inclined to give a three-year sentence on the vehicular homicide, it would be giving an 18-month sentence on the vehicular assault,” Bradley said. “… The court would grant judicial release after six months provided that Adrianna had a good report from the warden of the institution.”

Bradley said Miraldi should not allow public opinion to sway his decision on releasing Young.

“It’s not what happens outside the courtroom, it’s not what the public demands, it’s not what the defendant’s family wants or the victim’s family wants, but it’s what is done in this courtroom that is so important and keeps this a society of justice and not a society of anarchy,” he said.

>> Watch video from the courtroom as Miraldi grants Young early release

Bradley read the transcript of Lorain County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Pierre’s statements before the May sentencing and a statement from the Young family about a visit they paid to James Majkut, Debra Majkut’s husband, and his children in which James Majkut said he forgave Young.

Pierre rebutted Bradley’s claims saying the court has discretion to keep Young in prison throughout her sentence.

He highlighted the prosecution’s opposition to any agreement pertaining to the sentence and their repeated objections to the agreement.

“You said you would be inclined if she had a good report,” Pierre said to Miraldi. “It was never a guarantee and you said that, your honor, because you knew that this court always maintains discretion of whether to grant or deny judicial release.”

James Majkut also addressed the court and lashed out at Bradley for what he saw as belittling his wife.

Majkut said Bradley had previously served as his attorney.

Majkut said if he had committed a similar crime he would not only be in jail now, but would not have been allowed to return home following the incident.

“I just can’t believe that in six months, it would actually be on the table for early release,” he said with his younger son crawling between his legs. “Four years was a slap in the face as it is, and I accept that. But you did something.”

Majkut told Young she did a horrible thing.

“You took my wife, my kids’ mother,” he said. “As you got to go home that day and be free for two years, my two years was living hell.”

>> See more images from the courtroom

In addition to Majkut’s statement, Pierre presented Miraldi with hundreds of letters from the community urging the judge to force Young to serve her sentence.

One of the letters was from the neighbor who lifted Young’s vehicle to free the infant trapped beneath.

Miraldi assured the assembled he had read all of the letters.

“I have to tell you, I wish I were as far away from this courtroom as I can possibly be today,” he said visibly shaking. “I’ve never been so scared in my entire life in trying to fulfill my obligations to the oath that I took than I am right now.”

Miraldi said the whole tragedy has been a challenge to his faith and that no matter what decision he made, it would not bring Debra Majkut back.

Miraldi acknowledged Young had a minimal criminal record before the incident and a positive warden’s report.

“I must honor the agreement, because it has not been violated,” he said.

Previously

>> Amherst Township family gets Christmas surprise, first holiday since family member passed

>> Authorities: Oberlin woman had marijuana in system at time of fatal South Amherst crash

>> Woman sued for crashing into Amherst Township home, killing mother