By Thomas J. Sheeran
The Associated Press
CLEVELAND — A city firefighter apologized Thursday for killing three people over Fourth of July fireworks and told jurors considering his sentence that some might think only his execution would be a sufficient apology.
“Regardless of what happens, I will have to answer to the highest court of all. That apology may be my very soul,” Terrance Hough Jr., 36, of Cleveland, said in a prepared, unsworn statement that exempted him from cross-examination by prosecutors.
Hough, dressed in a dark jacket and striped tie and swallowing hard, apologized to his family, the community, the Fire Department and victims and their families.
“What can I possibly say to help ease the pain? I can only try,” Hough said in front of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court jury that convicted him and also must decide whether to recommend the death sentence.
The final sentence will be up to Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold.
Hough was convicted of three counts of aggravated murder for the shooting deaths of next-door neighbor Jacob Feichtner and two of Feichtner’s friends just after midnight last July 5.
Hough said he had violated his oath of public service as a firefighter and appealed for people not to misjudge his firehouse colleagues.
“Please do not hold my actions against any of them,” he said.
Earlier, with relatives of the defendant and victims watching in the court gallery, Hough’s colleagues during his 12 years with the Cleveland Fire Department described him as hardworking and a bit shy but also intense, opinionated and at odds with a neighbor.
“He just said he didn’t get along with him,” testified fire Capt. Gerald Madden, who wasn’t sure which neighbor was involved.
He described Hough as meticulous and very intense. “He wasn’t one to shy away from anything,” Madden testified.
Fire Lt. Robert D. Fenderson, who has known Hough for more than eight years, called Hough a “good guy.”
Asked about their relationship in view of Hough’s crimes, Fenderson responded, “He’s still my friend, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Prosecutors pressed the firefighters under cross-examination on whether they were aware of Hough’s gun collection and whether he had carried a weapon on duty in violation of departmental rules.
The witnesses said talk about guns and hunting was common in the firehouse environment where firefighters are on duty together 24 hours and off 48 hours. They testified they hadn’t seen Hough with a weapon on duty.
Hough emerged from his house without warning early on July 5 and shot and killed Feichtner, 24, who was holding a party; Bruce Anderson, 30, of Parma; and Katherine Rosby, 26, of Lakewood.