CLEVELAND — 25-year-old Jason Halasz Jr. has been sentenced to serve a minimum of 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of attempted murder connected to the stabbing of Adam Brown, a clinician at Signature Health in Maple Heights.
“I think this is an instance where the max is not only justified, but I think necessary to help deal with the pain and the trauma that these victims -- and it wasn’t just the one victim -- all of the employees who were there that day, they’re all victims here," said Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Cassandra Collier-Williams. "I feel like a victim just by seeing the video. That’s how it has affected me.”
Williams also noted that Halasz could face an additional five and a half years behind bars for a total of 16.5 years if his conduct goes against the rules and regulations while in prison.
"If your conduct remains in line with the policies and law of the prison, then you would be out at 11 years," she said.
He will then be placed on post-release control for a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years.
Prior to learning his fate, Halasz offered a brief apology.
“Your Honor, I just want to say that I’m sorry for what I did," he said.
THE ATTACK
The case dates back to earlier this year on April 24. That’s when authorities said Halasz, of Independence, was a patient at Signature Health and stabbed Brown.
3News received the following statement from Signature Health after the incident:
Earlier today, an incident occurred at Signature Health's Maple Heights location and a clinician was injured and taken to the hospital.
Signature Health’s highest priority right now is the welfare of the individual who was injured, and our thoughts are with those impacted at this time.
We are committed to providing a safe environment and we are taking this situation very seriously. We are working with local authorities to determine whether any additional actions are needed, and the Maple Heights office will be closed for the remainder of the week. We will provide further details as appropriate.
BROWN SPEAKS OUT
Prior to the judge's decision on sentencing, Brown addressed the court about what happened that day.
“The events of April 24 have significantly changed my life," he said. "The defendant’s actions on that day had a deep impact on me, which will affect me for the rest of my life. He left me with both physical and emotional scars that will be constant reminders of the violence that was inflicted upon me that day.”
Brown told the judge he suffered from multiple stab wounds to his neck, chest and hands.
"The injuries to my neck being the most significant and nearly ended my life," he said. "My right internal jugular vein was severed.”
Brown said when he woke up after surgery, he could not speak or swallow.
“I had a tracheostomy so that I could breathe and a feeding tube so that I could eat. I was in the ICU for several days. I required intensive physical and speech therapy to improve my ability to speak and swallow. This continued for several months after I was discharged. I have nerve damage that affected my ability to use my right arm and causes me pain. This will also require ongoing therapy. I have no sensation to my right ear and most of my neck, and it is unknown if this will ever return.”
You can watch Brown's full statement in the video below:
He said that while the physical wounds are healing, he will have the physical scars to carry with him for the rest of his life.
Brown also told the judge that he has PTSD as a result of what happened.
“I have been fearful to work from my office at Signature Health and to see patients in person," he continued. "I am only able to see patients virtually from the safety and security of my home.”
He also said the attack had impacts on his family.
“My children are young and they struggle to try to process and understand what happened to their father on that day and not knowing why daddy was not coming home from work," Brown said. "Everyone in my family and friends close to me had to deal with the realization that I might not have survived that day. This has caused significant emotional stress for everyone involved, which is still healing to this day. On that day he almost took a husband away from his wife, a father away from his children, a brother away from his siblings and a son away from his parents."