Dad Who Forced Son, 6, on Treadmill Addresses Court Before Sentencing, Calls Behavior 'Inexcusable'

Christopher Gregor addressed his ex, the boy's mother, for the first time since his death in court -- before she gave an emotional statement of her own, saying, "One can only hope karma comes to him quickly."

Christopher Gregor, the New Jersey dad accused of murdering his 6-year-old son after forcing him to run on a treadmill as he increased the speed, has has been sentenced.

Following a month-long trial and nearly two days of juror deliberations, Gregor was previously found guilty of child endangerment and aggravated manslaughter for the death of his son, Corey Micciolo. Gregor was found not guilty of first-degree murder, however.

On Friday, he was given 20 years for aggravated manslaughter, which he'll have to serve 85% of before being eligible for parole. For child endangerment, he was given five years, with a 858-day credit. The judge ruled the two sentences should be served consecutively.

Though Gregor didn't testify in his own defense during the trial, he gave a statement to the court before he was sentenced -- first addressing his son's mother and his ex, Breanna Micciolo.

"Breanna, we haven't talked since Corey passed away. With everything that has been said, I just want to tell you I'm sorry we lost Corey. He was, to say simply, the best," he began. "I know we'll miss him for the rest of our lives"

Calling his time with Corey the "best years of his life," Gregor remembered his son as a "happy, energetic, loving, radiant, young boy," who "flourished" in his short life.

"That will be how I remember him. Corey, wherever you are, I just want to say I'm proud of you and everything that you did. The last months of his life, us three -- Breanna, Corey and me -- we spent more time together than apart," he continued.

Recalling their time together, he said, "I saw how much Breanna loved Corey, how much he loved her and how well we could co-parent together. Those memories and all the good times, they'll be what I remember and they help me get through the tough days. I hope they can help you too, Breanna."

"I'm sorry you believe I could have done this to our son and it pains me to know that you view my actions those months together as ingenuine, that I could have hurt the most important person in my life," Gregor continued, before directly addressing the treadmill incident.

"What happened on March 20 was inexcusable. To you, Breanna, your family, and mine, I want to apologize you had to see Corey treated that way. He never deserved it. I understand the single moment will overshadow all the others, but it's not representative of who I am, who Corey was and his relationship with me and him," said Gregor. "I want to assure you that on April 2 [the day of the boy's death], I did nothing to cause Corey's passing. I didn't hurt my son. I loved him and I still do. I regret not bringing him to the hospital sooner, I didn't know how sick he was, I just thought he was tired."

"Corey is gone. He had so much to give this world and he still can. What we do in his memory, for his memory, things he would want us to do, that's all we have now," he concluded, before asking the judge to "sentence me fairly" and take into "consideration my entire life and not just based on the 12 days" from the treadmill incident to the boy's death.

Dad Accused of Forcing Son on Treadmill Before Death Left Son In Dying Moments: Nurse

Family members on Brenna's side, however, pushed for the maximum sentence possible.

"What he said is not true ... if he has the chance to do it again, he'll do it again," said the boy's grandfather. His grandmother called him a "monster" who she would never forgive.

In a very emotional moment, Breanna took the stand to address the court -- wearing a t-shirt with her son's face on it, while saying she's an "advocate for justice."

"I stand here to plead for justice that Corey rightfully deserves and to press for the maximum sentence of Christopher Gregor, whose actions inflicted irreparable harm in our lives," she began, calling their relationship a "traumatic journey defined by manipulation, abuse and, ultimately, unspeakable loss."

"I'm here to be his voice and tell his story ... not once have you seen the defendant shed a tear for Corey in the last three and a half years since he killed him and today was fake," she continued, addressing Gregor's statement. "I don't believe a word he says and I don't accept any apologies. His only remorse was for himself because he got caught and convicted."

"He never had an ounce of love for Corey ... he never hugged him, he never praised him, he never told him he was proud of him or he did a good job," said Micciolo. "He punished Corey every chance he could get."

Dad Accused of Forcing Son on Treadmill Found Guilty in Death of 6-Year-Old

"Instead of being a good role model for Corey, he decided to beat him to death. Why? Were you jealous of him? Did you hate me so much that you took it out on Corey?" she asked, before calling him a "monster."

"One can only hope karma comes to him quickly," she said, getting overcome with emotion as she spoke. "Are you that crazy that you convinced yourself you didn't do this? I hate you. I will never forgive you. You have stolen my full potential at happiness and I will never have my son back. My daughter will never get to meet her brother. My boyfriend will never get to be the father the defendant should have been to my son."

She added she believes Gregor "will kill me" if he ever gets out of prison.

Parents of Dad Accused of Forcing Son on Treadmill Before Death Testify About Bruises, Video

During the trial, jurors saw surveillance footage from the Atlantic Heights Clubhouse in Barnegat, N.J., that dated back to March 20, 2021, where Gregor -- who did not testify in the trial -- was seen forcing the boy to use a treadmill . Corey fell off the machine six times in surveillance footage, but was pulled back up on the treadmill and made to continue running. At one point in the video, Gregor even appeared to bite his son.

The boy died at the hospital on April 2, the same day he was brought there by his father. Gregor allegedly left his son alone in his dying moments , before leaving the hospital altogether and not answering calls from his ex -- the boy's mother -- or police.

While Gregor's legal team suggested Corey died of sepsis from pneumonia, a consulting doctor determined from a host of bruises and marks on the child, that the "pattern, distribution, and character of the injuries was consistent with ongoing abuse, and found that the manner of death was homicide."

Prosecutors alleged it was the father's abuse which caused his death.

See more coverage of the case below:

Dad Accused of Forcing Son on Treadmill Before Death Claims Ex 'Coached' Boy to Lie About Abuse

Video Shows Dad Accused of Killing Son, 6, Forcing Boy to Use Treadmill Because He's 'Fat': Prosecutors