To his employers and member of his church, Darrell Aaron Cox has led a good life since his remarkable turnaround after being arrested for sixth-offense DUI.
In the eyes of the law, it was too late to change his fate.
Following a lengthy sentencing hearing Tuesday, Cox was sentenced as Range 2/multiple offender to seven years in prison to be served at 35%.
It could have been worse with four enhancement factors, including a lengthy criminal record.
Going into the hearing, Assistant District Attorney General Rachel Bateman — citing 11 convictions dating back to 2009 — and probation and community corrections violations, that he be required to serve his sentence.
Defense attorney Kevin Bryant admitted the lengthy record worked against his client, but he asked for a sentence that included furlough for long-term, in-house treatment.
To support Cox, Bryant called character witnesses Richard Green and Jeff Durham.
In addition, Cox gave a statement of elocution during which he admitted, “I made a lot of mistakes,” but also added that serving 210 days in jail had made him “a changed man.”
“He is not the man he used to be,” testified Green, a Morgan County contractor.
Green told Judge Sean Fry Cox was honest with him about his past, and added that during his interview for construction work, Cox told him, “Just give me a chance to prove myself.”
Green added that he would not have allowed Cox around his children and grandchildren if he had not changed.
Durham, a construction worker and preacher, echoed those comments.
“He is not the same person,” Durham said. “He has had no trouble since his last arrest, about three years ago.”
Cox told Fry the person he used to be is no more. “That man is dead and gone … I have changed my life through faith.”
Fry noted Cox’s change but added, “A lot of good people have been in jail … (The Apostle) Paul wrote a lot of letters from his jail cell.”
The judge added that Cox’s past record was too much to overcome and too much to ignore.
In setting sentence at seven years to be served at 35%, Fry noted it could have easily been 10 years in jail.
“That is as much as I can do,” the judge concluded.