The former mixed martial arts fighter whose legal name is War Machine was sentenced to life in prison on Monday after a jury convicted him back in March on charges related to the assault of his ex-girlfriend, Christine Mackinday, and a man he found with her in her bedroom, Corey Thomas. War Machine was found guilty of charges including battery, kidnapping, and sexual assault for pummeling and Thomas, then turning his attention to Mackinday, a former adult film star known as Christy Mack. War Machine beat and choked Thomas using a mixed martial arts maneuver, then repeatedly struck Mack and sexually assaulted her.
At the sentencing hearing, Mackinday testified in support of a life sentence. “When he gets out, he will kill me,” Mackinday told the court.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Elissa Kadish announced the life sentence with the possibility of parole after 36 years. That would mean that the 35-year-old War Machine would be 71 if he gets out at the earliest possible date.
The trial lasted weeks and included emotional testimony from Mackinday, who discussed multiple instances of abuse during her relationship with War Machine, whose original name was Jonathan Koppenhaver. She also described in detail what happened on the night War Machine attacked her and Thomas, providing the story behind the chilling 911 call she placed that the court listened to during the trial. Mackinday famously posted images of her injuries on social media after the assault, drawing national attention to the case.
War Machine was convicted of 29 out of 34 charges, with the jury being undecided on counts of attempted murder, and acquitting him of burglary, coercion, and battery with intent to commit sexual assault.
