I realise I'm a lone voice here but, personally, I don't care if defendants don't appear for sentencing
I can promise you those impact statements will mean nothing to him. He may be a dad on paper but, when you're involved in that "life", you're not a real parent - you're not present, you're not nurturing them, you're not setting a good example, you're not bringing them up right. You are scum.
Cheryl Korbel is right - he didn't care that night. I would add that he doesn't care full stop. Let's be brutal - to him, Olivia is just kid who got in the way and has now cost him forty two years of his life. Nothing more.
Anyway, it's not about him or any defendant who doesn't appear for sentencing - it's about justice for the victim and their family. And's that's all that matters. In fact, this thread shouldn't even bear his name - it should be named after Olivia. He is nothing.