Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Sam Penrod Reporting
Super Dell Schanze was back in court to hear his sentence, after being convicted of making false statements to police. It all surrounds the now famous gun incident in Draper more than a year ago.
Usually when we watch as people are sentenced for a crime and face the possibility of some jail time, they tell the judge just how sorry they really are. Not today; in fact, Dell Schanze proclaimed his innocence for several minutes, before the judge handed down a fine and probation.
Dell Schanze walked out of court after a judge suspended six months in jail and most of a possible one thousand dollar fine, for being convicted of making a false statement to a police officer. Schanze still says he was wrongly convicted by the jury for that, although he admits to going 50 in a 25 mile per hour Draper neighborhood.
Dell Schanze, Defendant: "I even told the judge that I have sped a zillion times they didn't catch me for, and you are telling me I'm not being honest."
Schanze still believes he was the victim after three neighbors confronted him for speeding down a residential street.
Dell Schanze: "Is it fair to threaten to bash a guy's lights out with a huge rock and scare the crap out of his eight year old daughter? Is that fair because a guy was speeding?"
The jury did acquit Schanze of brandishing his concealed handgun during the incident. Schanze claims pulling out his gun actually saved lives.
Dell Schanze: "If I had not had a firearm, the odds are very likely that a physical confrontation would have happened. There would have been a fight, they would have attacked me, and since I am a black belt, I probably would have had to kill two of them with my bare hands; but instead I had a gun, so no harm happened."
Schanze still insists that his bad fortunes, including the demise of Totally Awesome Computers, are the result of what he calls the "evil lies of the news media."
Dell Schanze: "If I was a really bad guy do you think any of these news reporters would still be alive? Ask yourself that question. You know you all have the ability to repent because of the grace of God, but you are still alive to do it, because of the grace of Super Dell."
Overall, Schanze will pay 552 dollars in fines and attend a course that teaches people how to make appropriate decisions. The judge made it pretty clear to Schanze that he needs to stay out of trouble with the law for the next year, or he could face some jail time. Schanze told the judge, that wouldn't be a problem.
