Dubuque man sentenced to 55 years for killing best friend

A Dubuque man convicted of killing his best friend will spend 55 years in jail.

On Tuesday Michael Mayton, 41, sat in front of several members of David Tate's family, while the judge gave Mayton the maximum sentence: 50 years for Tate's death and five years for stabbing Richard Schramm.

Wearing an orange jumpsuit, hand-cuffs and shackles around his ankles, Mayton sat silent as the judge read the sentence.

In a video recorded message from Tate's mom, Linda Sardin told Mayton he must sleep with his own ghost, knowing he killed her son. She then condemned Mayton for not helping Tate while he bled to death.

Sardin also said she couldn't be in the Dubuque County Courthouse in person, after she saw Mayton hit the Prosecuting attorney with his handcuffs back in July.

Mayton faces another jury trial for that alleged assault on the County Attorney.