On November 7, Sweeney was sentenced to six years in prison for manslaughter, the maximum sentence he could have received, plus six additional months for the assault charge. At Sweeney's sentencing, Judge Katz criticized the jury's ruling of manslaughter, stating that he felt Dunne's death was "a case, pure and simple, of murder. Murder with malice." The jury's foreman, Paul Speigel, later told the media that he and his fellow jurors were surprised by Judge Katz's criticism and called his comment "a cheap shot". Speigel felt that Judge Katz's criticism stemmed not from their verdict, but from the harsh criticisms he received after the verdict was given. Speigel went on to say that had the jury heard all the evidence, they would have convicted Sweeney of murder.