UPDATE: Judge in Darren Mack case notes 'heinous nature' in giving max sentence

A judge imposed the maximum prison sentence Friday on a former Reno pawn shop owner for killing his wife and shooting the judge who handled their bitter divorce.

District Judge Douglas Herndon sentenced Darren Mack to a minimum of 36 years in prison.

Mack, 46, pleaded guilty in November to murder in the June 2006 stabbing death of his wife, Charla, and the equivalent of no contest to attempted murder in the same-day sniper-style shooting of Family Court Judge Chuck Weller through a window at the Washoe County courthouse. Weller has recovered from his wounds.

Herndon imposed terms of a plea deal by sentencing Mack to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years on the murder charge.

The judge also upheld the recommendation of Special Prosecutor Christopher Lalli by sentencing Mack to 40 years with parole possible after 16 years for attempted murder with a deadly weapon.

Both terms are to run back-to-back.

In handing down the sentence, Herndon cited the heinous nature of the crimes and Mack's lack of remorse.

"The truth is Mr. Mack is guilty of these crimes, but he doesn't want to hear anything about that," the judge said.

Mack, during testimony Thursday, reiterated his claims that he acted in self defense when the slashed his wife's throat in the garage of his southeast Reno townhouse.

He also has argued that he was coerced by his former lawyers into the plea deal, and suggested the attorneys, prosecutors, investigators and law enforcement officers who investigated the case were corrupt.

Herndon said while he allowed Mack to go on at length, he never said what the judge hoped he'd hear: "I'm sorry."

Herndon's sentencing followed emotional testimony earlier Friday by Charla Mack's family and Weller.

Soorya Townley described how she and her daughter had grown closer as they got older.

"I was one of those lucky mothers to be best friends with my daughter," she said. "In those last years, Charla and I cleared our past mother-daughter conflicts."

She said her daughter's dream was to sing professionally, or start a business developing seminars for divorcing couples.

"Charla believed ... she could even tame Darren's rage" and get him involved," Townley said.

Mack hung his head in his hands and appeared to cry when Townley concluded her testimony with a song Charla had recorded before her death.

"It was a song she wanted to sing to Darren," Townley said.