Judge's Surprising Claim on How Teen Gunman Got Away with 'Killer' Shirt in Court: I Didn't See It

T.J. Lane unbuttons his shirt during sentencing Tuesday, March 19, 2013, in Chardon, Ohio. Lane, 18, was given three lifetime prison sentences without the possibility of parole for opening fire last year in a high school cafeteria in a rampage that left three students dead and three others wounded. (AP)

An Ohio judge says he didn't see the word "killer" written on an admitted school shooter's T-shirt in court Tuesday or he would have ordered him to change clothes.

T.J. Lane, 18, received three life sentences after he pleaded guilty to killing three students at a Chardon, Ohio high school in February 2012. He walked into court and removed a button-down shirt to reveal a white T-shirt with the word scrawled in pen, then added to the display with a brief, obscene statement.

"The hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to their memory. F--k all of you," Lane said, flipping his middle finger toward victims' families.

In a statement after the hearing, Judge David Fuhry said he did not see Lane's T-shirt, according to USA Today.

"The court was unaware of the shirt. The court did not notice the shirt. Had the court noticed the shirt, the court would have immediately stopped the proceedings, adjourned the court and the court would have ordered the defendant to put on proper attire," Fuhry said.