Richard Pratt wanted to testify against Wallace Judkins — to tell jurors about the terrifying trip around northeast Denton County with a gun stuck in his face and a line of law enforcement vehicles in pursuit Jan. 6.

Wallace Judkins

Pratt planned to testify about Judkins commandeering his sport utility vehicle and forcing him to help him flee from a house where Judkins had shot at the owner.

But Pratt died of lung cancer Tuesday, two days before a jury sentenced Judkins to two life sentences and two years in state jail and a $10,000 fine. That was the maximum sentence allowed in the aggravated kidnapping, attempted capital murder and evading police cases presented this week in 16th District Court.

“I talked to Richard 10 days ago, and he told me he wanted to testify but he wasn’t sure if he would be able to,” said prosecutor Tony Paul. “He was at home in hospice care and he said all they could do at that point was give him morphine.”

Paul said he spoke to Pratt’s wife on Monday.

“She said he was in a coma, but he had wanted to testify right up to the end. It’s really a shame that he could not have lived to see this.”

Judkins was on trial in connection with the events of Jan. 6, when Robert Denny surprised him as he burglarized Denny’s house, and Judkins fired Denny’s own guns at him.

Then he ran into the road and flagged Pratt down as he drove home from a visit to his oncologist. Judkins forced him to flee a police pursuit that grew longer and more dangerous as he sped east and north of Denton and even into the city for a time before Pratt lost control of the SUV in a mobile home park.

Denton County sheriff’s deputies testified that they didn’t know whether the man at the wheel was an accomplice or a victim when they pulled both men out of the SUV. Pratt spent a few minutes in handcuffs in the back of a patrol car before his innocence was established.

The jury took about 30 minutes to find Judkins guilty of all three charges Wednesday.

Judkins had eight prior convictions in Denton, Cooke and Wise counties, according to testimony. In the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors presented victims in some of those burglaries to tell the jury how they felt when they discovered someone had violated their homes. One man said his wife would not enter their home alone for several years after that. Another said he lost a rare shotgun that he could not replace.

Betty Kraelic, 83, of Muenster said she and her husband were at a wedding when two men broke into their house. The men fled when someone came home, and a nearby police officer apprehended them.

She said she found her house ransacked and her belongings on the floor. Upstairs in her bedroom, she said, one of the burglars had defecated on the floor.

The prosecutor asked how that made her feel.

“The next day I tore out my whole bedroom carpet,” she said.

Defense attorney Derek Adame brought Judkins’ sister, Darla Judkins, to the witness stand. She said her brother was quiet and loving before he went to prison the first time at about age 18. He was raped and beaten, she said.

He has had a lifelong problem with drugs, especially methamphetamines, she said. “He steals things to get money to buy drugs.”

She said she fears for her brother if he is returned to prison.

“The rapes and the beatings — I know what happens down there,” she said.

Judkins’ sister and mother and another woman shook their heads and wiped their eyes during most of the trial and left the courtroom in tears after the verdict was read.

Prosecutor Ryan Calvert told the jury in final arguments that the case was no longer about Judkins’ rights. It was about the rights of his past victims, his current victims and the victims who might suffer if he ever is released from prison. He asked jurors to assess maximum sentences of life, life and two years in state jail and a $10,000 fine.

“Because that’s all the law will allow you to do,” Calvert said.

Adame, the defense attorney, suggested jurors start at a 30-year sentence and then see if there were any reasons to add years. He asked them to take into account Judkins’ fear of returning to prison.

“Don’t just decide he’s an evil guy and wad him up and throw him away like a piece of paper,” Adame said.

Lead prosecutor Paul said Judkins had eight prior convictions and had spent most of his life in prison. Each time he was released on parole and given a chance, he went back to stealing and using narcotics, Paul said. If he had been a better shot or had a truck not been in his way, Robert Denny would have died when Judkins shot at him, Paul said. Judkins put his gun in the lap of a terminally ill man and tried to blame his crimes on him, Paul said.

“Richard Pratt’s widow asked me to call her and tell her what happened today,” Paul said. “Twelve citizens saw a very bad man and sentenced him to life. That’s what I want to tell his widow.”

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com .