Carjacking victim says he forgives suspect

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DETROIT, March 16 (UPI) -- An 86-year-old man whose leg was broken in a carjacking at a Detroit gas station said he forgives his attacker but that he should face some jail time.

Aaron Brantley, a World War II veteran, said he received a letter suspect Paris Gomillion, 20, sent from jail, the Detroit Free Press reported.

"The dude wanted me to forgive him," Brantley said Thursday. "The letter said he wanted me to pray for him, and he was sorry for what he had done. I did pray for him and so forth, and forgive him for what he had done."

But, Brantley said, "I really think he should get some [jail] time, but not life."

Brantley said he thinks Gomillion is "kind of ashamed, that he didn't know what he was doing, in other words."

Gomillion didn't look at Brantley when Brantley testified from a wheelchair Thursday in District Court.

Brantley said he was hit from behind and his keys were taken from his hand in the Feb. 22 carjacking. He crawled into the gas station when nobody helped him.

Video shows a suspect following Brantley as he bought gas about 11 a.m. Brantley was on his way home from Bible study, the Free Press said.

Brantley said he still has some soreness in one of his knees.

In the letter, Brantley said, Gomillion wrote of being shot weeks before the carjacking.

Judge Ruth Carter continued Gomillion's preliminary hearing until June 14 after Gomillion's attorney asked for a competency exam of his client.

Bond of $500,000 cash or surety was continued.