Martin Shkreli’s lawyer told a federal judge that he sometimes wants to punch his client in the face.
But attorney Benjamin Brafman told U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto on Friday that Shkreli’s outspokenness should not be held against him during the sentencing phase for his fraud charges, according to The Associated Press.
Prosecutors in New York asked Matsumoto to sentence the former pharmaceutical CEO to 15 years behind bars for deceiving hedge fund investors.
{mosads}But Brafman said his client, who he sometimes wants to hug and sometimes wants to punch, only deserves 18 months. Brafman used letters from a remorseful Shkreli and his supporters to vouch for his credentials, the AP reported.
“I was wrong. I was a fool. I should have known better,” Shkreli said.
The 34-year-old former drug executive was launched into the public eye when he raised the anti-infection drug used to treat AIDS and cancer patients by more than 5,000 percent.
Matsumoto previously found Shkreli responsible for over $10.4 million in financial losses linked to his time running Turing Pharmaceuticals.
On Monday he ordered Shkreli to forfeit $7.36 million in assists, including a Picasso painting and the sole copy of a rare Wu-Tang Clan album.
Shkreli was convicted last August and had his bond revoked when he offered up $5,000 to anyone who got a sample of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s hair.