Photos: Hate crime sentencing in Douglas County, Georgia courthouse

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Photos: Hate crime in Douglas County, Georgia

Superior Court Judge William McClain sentenced Kayla Norton and Jose Torres to prison after a Confederate flag incident in Douglasville, Georgia.

Kayla Norton stands and speaks on her own behalf in front of Superior Court Judge William McClain at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Norton turns and pleads to a crowd of the victims and Hyesha Bryant, the mother of a ten year old boy who had to explain what the word "hate" meant after the events that occurred in Douglassville, Georgia, over a year ago. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Attorney Jim Berry places his hand on the back of Jose Torres at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Torres received a sentence of 20 years, 13 of which would be spent in prison, and was exiled from Douglas County for the crimes he and other committed over a year ago, including having stormed a child's birthday party and pointed a shotgun at the crowd present. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Melissa Alford (right) weeps in the jury stands while those around attempt to comfort her at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. During the sentencing of Jose Torres and Kayla Norton, Norton stood up to speak on her own behalf and plead to those in the court for mercy; Alfred had kept herself together throughout the entire sentencing but following Nortons speech, broke down and had to leave the room. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

A convoy of trucks decked out in Confederate flags gathers near the birthday party of a black eight-year-old in July 2015 in Douglasville in this video taken by a party attendee.

In this image from a phone video, trucks decked out with Confederate flags leave an area where the "Respect the Flag" group intimidated a black eight-year-old's birthday party next door. Police were on hand to see that the group was removed.

In this image from a phone video, trucks decked out with Confederate flags leave an area where the "Respect the Flag" group intimidated a black eight-year-old's birthday party next door. Police were on hand to see that the group was removed.

In this image from a phone video, trucks decked out with Confederate flags leave an area where the "Respect the Flag" group intimidated a black eight-year-old's birthday party next door. Police were on hand to see that the group was removed.

In this image from a phone video, trucks decked out with Confederate flags leave an area where the "Respect the Flag" group intimidated a black eight-year-old's birthday party next door. Police were on hand to see that the group was removed.

Hyesha Bryant stands and speaks to Kayla Norton and the court around her in response to Norton speaking on her own behalf while District Attorney Brian Fortner stands at her side at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Bryant explained how she grieved the loss of her child's innocence, whom she had to explain what the word "hate" meant to following the incident, and went on to ultimately say she forgave Norton and her crimes. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

An observer in the gallery of the sentencing for Jose Torres and Kayla Norton weeps in the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Many present in the crowd that were there for Torres and Norton wept and grieved following the sentencing of 20 years, 13 of which would be spent in prison for Torres, and 15 years, six of which would be spent in prison for Norton. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Superior Court Judge William McClain announces the final sentences for Jose Torres and Kayla Norton at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. After hearing those speaking on behalf of Torres and Kayla, over a year after the incident occurred, he sentenced Torres toe 20 years, 13 of which will be spent in prison, and Norton 15, six of which will be spent in prison. He noted how the crimes had been committed just a month after Dylann Roof committed a mass murder in Charleston, SC, and how "their actions were motivated by racial hatred." (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Jose I. Torres, 26, was sentenced to 20 years, with 13 to serve in prison, for perpetuating a hate crime in Douglasville in July 2015.

Kayla Norton, 25, was sentenced to 15 years, with six to serve, for perpetuating a hate crime in Douglasville in July 2015.

District Attorney Brian Fortner (left) looks over a wall separating the jury crowd from the rest of the court to ask Hyesha Bryant (center) if the group needs anything while Melissa Alfred (right, striped sweater) weeps at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. It was after Kayla Norton spoke on behalf of herself and pleaded for mercy that Bryant decided to step up and respond to Norton, during which she said she forgave her. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Observers sitting in the gallery of the sentencing for Jose Torres and Kayla Norton comfort one another while the Assistant District Attorney David Emadi reads quotes and accounts from the day Torres and Norton are being sentenced for in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Torres and Norton were among a group of people that drove throughout Douglas county in July of 2015 waving Confederate flags and yelling the n-word, with their tirade only ending after confronting an African American family celebrating a boys birthday in Douglasville. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Kayla Norton wipes tears from her face as she sits at the table during her sentencing appointment at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Ultimately, Norton would be sentenced to 15 years with six to serve in prison and be banned from Douglas County. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Jose Torres weeps in his seat while at the sentencing for his crimes at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Torres would receive a sentence of 20 years, 13 of which would be served in prison, and be exiled from Douglas County for the crimes he and others committed over a year ago where he pointed a shotgun at an African American crowd celebrating the birthday of an eight year old boy. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Observers in the gallery of the sentencing for Jose Torres and Kayla Norton weep at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Members of both sides of the sentencing, the accused and the victims, shed tears and compassion for Hyesha Bryant as she spoke of her child, what it meant to be a victim of such a crime, and ultimately that she forgave Norton. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Kayla Norton yells "I love you guys!" to the crowd that gathered to support her at her sentencing at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Over a year after the crime was committed, Norton was sentenced to 15 years, six of which would be served in prison, and to be exiled from Douglas County. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Kayla Norton yells "I love you guys!" to the crowd that gathered to support her at her sentencing at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Over a year after the crime was committed, Norton was sentenced to 15 years, six of which would be served in prison, and to be exiled from Douglas County. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

Assistant District Attorney David Emadi gives opening remarks about the circumstances for the charges and accounts from witnesses about the day that the charges for Jose Torres and Kayla Norton come from at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

District Attorney Brian Fortner (center) and Assistant District Attorneys David Emadi (right) and Norman Barnett (left) discuss the trial along with events held outside of the court room in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. District Attorney Fortner noted that following the charges that were held against the group of individuals waving Confederate flags and yelling the n-word, he met with the Sons of Confederate Veterans group to discuss the nature of the charges and that they were not convicting the flag to be what was wrong but the combined circumstances and manner in which it was used. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

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Kayla Norton stands and speaks on her own behalf in front of Superior Court Judge William McClain at the Douglas County Courthouse in Douglasville, Georgia, on Monday, February 27, 2017. Norton turns and pleads to a crowd of the victims and Hyesha Bryant, the mother of a ten year old boy who had to explain what the word "hate" meant after the events that occurred in Douglassville, Georgia, over a year ago. (HENRY TAYLOR / HENRY.TAYLOR@AJC.COM)

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