A Small Measure of Justice

A 39-year-old married police officer, father of two young children, and field-training officer sat in his police vehicle in a residential neighborhood with a rookie in training. While parked, a man pulled alongside the police car and shot at the officers, killing the senior officer. The trainee ducked, then returned fire and called for help.

The following day, acting on a tip about the whereabouts of the shooter, an officer approached an apartment building with caution.

The shooter pointed his gun at the officer’s head and pulled the trigger. He hadn’t remembered to chamber a round, the weapon failed to go off. The officer then shot the man. He survived, but his injuries caused him to be paralyzed from the waist down.

His crime spree, hatred, and vendetta against local police escalated and had lasted three-weeks before the shooting at the apartment building.

Whenever the accused had a court appearance, he often ranted about police brutality.

Prior to his sentencing, the attorneys debated his mental state and presented differing diagnoses of mental illness. The jury found him competent.

Because of delays, his trial began almost six years after the officer’s murder.

Although the trial took four months, the jury deliberated for less than one hour before reaching a unanimous verdict of guilty. Guilty of aggravated first-degree for killing the police officer. Guilty of first-degree arson for setting fire to and detonating bombs that destroyed police vehicles nine days before killing the officer. Guilty of two-counts of attempted first-degree murder for trying to kill two other police officers.

The court sentenced the 46-year-old man to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

At the sentencing, the police chief said,

“Today’s verdict and life-sentence is a small measure of justice for our fallen brother.”

Two years into his life sentence, staff found him dead in his prison cell. He’d been stockpiling a prescribed medication for depression, then ingested a large quantity which led to his death.

Source: Washington Supreme Court, SPD Blotter, Police!, KOMO News

All data and information provided is for information and research purposes only and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Appeals or overturned verdicts may have occurred in criminal cases since I researched them. All information is provided on an as-is basis.