Confronted by the family of his victim

KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A convicted murderer was confronted by the family of his victim in court on Monday.

James Lanier was convicted of killing Portage businessman, Robert Atkinson. Atkinson was the owner of Precision Windows.

While Atkinson's family expressed their emotions in open court and hoped that Lanier would admit some level of guilty, Lanier did not, and instead thanked his family and proclaimed his innocence. It was a move that didn't come as a surprise, but was still painful.

"Just own it," said the victim's daughter, Samantha Atkinson, "we wish he would own it, and he's not a man, a real man would own it."

"We believe he's sociopathic and will never accept responsibility," said Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Louis Fenton.

Lanier was sentenced to life in prison, he has the option to appeal, but it's not yet clear if he will do so.