Transcript: DUI Video Confessor Matthew Cordle: 'No Fair Sentence When It Comes To Loss Of Life'

Matthew Cordle, who confessed to drunk driving and killing a man in viral video, appeared on "New Day," after being sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison. Cordle talked about the night of the accident, his sentencing, the victim’s family, and his problem with alcohol. Cordle told CNN Anchor Chris Cuomo that he did not have a motive behind creating and publishing the video.

Here is the complete transcript of the segment:

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN ANCHOR:  Matthew Cordle and his lawyers join us now from Franklin County Jail in Ohio where he is preparing to begin his sentence.  Mr. Cordle, thank you very much for taking the opportunity to join us on NEW DAY.

MATTHEW CORDLE, POSTED DUI CONFESSION ON YOUTUBE:  Thank you for having me, Chris.

CUOMO:  So did you know this day was always coming or did you hold out hope that leniency would mean no jail time.

CORDLE:  I 100 percent knew this day was coming.  I accepted it a very long time ago and I'm very relieved now that it's over.

CUOMO: Relieved.  What do you think of the sentence?  Six and a half years, could have been about eight or so.  Do you think it was fair?

CORDLE: As I said in the courtroom, there is really no fair sentence when it comes to the loss of life.  It's just time and time won't bring back the victim, unfortunately.  So, you know, I'm just glad that the family can have some measure of close your and I hope they find peace throughout this.

CUOMO: I'm sure you're reliving everything that happened all the time, something as horrible as this.  That night, what is the main memory that you have?

CORDLE: Waking up in the hospital very delirious and in an uncontrollable state.

CUOMO: What do you remember being the first wave of emotion you had when you realized that Mr. Canzani was dead as a result of the accident?

CORDLE: Denial and shock.  I would say I just really didn't want to believe it.  It's one of the worst things I can imagine happening and being responsible for.

CUOMO: Now, was this just a bad night and a terrible, poor choice by you or is drinking something that you struggle with as a problem?

CORDLE: Drinking is definitely something I've been struggling with my whole life.  Since I began, I've always drank heavily and drank often.  The statistic is that first-time DUI offenders drink and drive 80 times before they get caught and that is definitely a category I fall under.  It's just -- I can't believe I didn't see something like this coming.  That was one of the biggest emotions that I had throughout this is frustration with myself.

CUOMO:  We're going to talk about what made you popular, obviously, the video.  But in terms of raising awareness, did you raise your own?  Have you gotten help for the problem?

CORDLE:  Yes.  Not as much as I wanted yet but as much as I could before this legal issue took place.  After the fact that I got out of the hospital, I put myself into a partial hospitalization program through Dublin Springs in Dublin, Ohio, and successfully completed that, but my road is just beginning on recovery.

CUOMO: Now, the video, you waited a little period of time after this actual accident.  How did you make the decision that I'm going to go this direction?  This is how I'm going to handle this situation. I'm going to do a video.

CORDLE: At the beginning, as you said, I waited a few months.  I had a roller coaster of emotions.  Wasn't sure how, you know, wasn't sure how to bring some good out of this.  I fell into a deep depression. Initially contacted, because I said I would, to get some ideas for possibly speaking out against this and raising some awareness towards it.

You know, we decided to make the video and put it on social media, because young drivers are the ones who mostly drink and drive and young people are also the ones who mostly use social media. So we thought that was the best platform to raise awareness.

CUOMO: We know that it was unusual.  That's why it had such effect, especially in such a situation where the punishment wasn't determined yet. We also know you reached out to the Canzanis.  You did that first.  I want to talk to you about what that conversation was like and what you know about how they feel about your punishment.

We're going to take a break right now.  I want to talk to you about those things when we come back.  We'll have more with Matthew Cordle, right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CUOMO: We're back with Matthew Cordle.  His confession to this act on YouTube went viral and made this story something that everybody has talked about for a long time.  Now we know, Mr. Cordle, thank you for joining us again.  We know now the sentence.  You're going to be serving 6-1/2 years.  Have your attorneys told you how much of that they expect you to serve?

CORDLE: It's the full six and a half.  In this crime, it's mandatory jail time, mandatory prison time.  Every day I get sentenced to, is every day I have to serve.

CUOMO: You know that.  What that does mean to you that there will be no relief from this sentence.  It will be the full time?

CORDLE: As I stated again in court, you know, the punishment is going to stay with me forever and that's going to stick around in my mind.  As far as the prison time, I'm just going to take it as it comes and do everything I can to walk out of prison a better man than I walked in.

CUOMO: The hardest punishment as you’ve remarked is living with the guilt of knowing what you took from this Canzani family up.  You’ve reached out to them before the video.  Where is the family in terms of reconciling what you did to their loved one and about their punishment?  What do you know about their thoughts and feelings are?

CORDLE: At the beginning, the only member of the family that contacted us was Angela Canzani, and that's Vincent’s daughter.  I never spoke directly to her.  I was open to that, but you know, obviously she's entitled to feel the way she feels.  She's going through a lot of grief and anger towards me.

On the other side, Sheryl Oats, Vincent's ex-wife reached out to some reporter made a statement and then got in contact with us.  And said that, you know, she forgave me and supported the message I was trying to convey.  So that meant the world to me.

You know, one day I hope to speak to Angela in person and possibly -- hopefully she forgets those feelings of anger and can forgive me one day.  But right now it's fresh and she's entitled to feel the way she feels.

CUOMO: How much of the video was about you and your cause and how much was about the message?

CORDLE: My cause is a message.  So it was 100 percent about that.

CUOMO: Your cause is also what is going to happen to you for the act.  There was absolutely no influence that I hope this helps.  I hope people see it, I'm sorry, I hope people see I'm not like other drunk drivers who sometimes don't take responsibility?  There was no part of that calculation?

CORDLE: The video itself, I had no motives for using it in court whatsoever.  In fact, I didn't want to use it in court.  The judge thought it ought to be played.  I'm actually glad he did because it pushed the message as well.

CUOMO: Making the video definitely served a purpose and also came at a cost for you especially with the family, right?  The daughter of Vincent Canzani, the man who died, she doesn't like it.  She said that every time she tries to forgive you, you do something else that upsets her.  Do have you any regret about the video?

CORDLE: Obviously, I didn't want to intentionally cause Ms. Canzani pain.  You know, the video is a very strong message and one that's very necessary.  The whole point of it is so people don't have to feel the pain that she's feeling.  And I hope to prevent that.

CUOMO: You're a young man, 6-1/2 years is a long time.  What are you going to do with that time?  What do you hope to make of this?  What's your biggest fear?

CORDLE: You know, I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do yet because I've never been to prison.  I don't know exactly how the programs and all the things offered there, but I'm going to take advantage of every educational program that I can, every recreational program and every work program that I can.  As I said, to walk out of prison a better man than the day I walked in.  As far as after that, only time will tell.

CUOMO: There are many who feel the strongest message sent by your situation is the time, is the punishment, so that people realize no matter what the excuse, if you go down this road, the punishment is harsh.  And we know it's going to be difficult for you.  We appreciate you taking the opportunity to come forward.  It's an important message for people to hear.

CORDLE: Thank you, Chris.

CUOMO: Good luck to you, Mr. Cordle.  Kate, over to you.

CORDLE: Thank you.