A former Maryland police officer and Iraq war veteran has been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for shooting and paralyzing a handcuffed suspect.
Johnnie Riley, 44, formerly a sergeant with the District Heights Police Department, was convicted of shooting Kalvin Kyle in the back after Kyle tried to flee, while handcuffed, from a police cruiser. According to The Associated Press, Kyle was left paralyzed and Riley could’ve faced up to 45 years in prison.
How did the court arrive at Riley’s sentence for the shooting?
Assault and Misconduct Convictions
In July, Riley was convicted of first- and second-degree assault, use of a handgun during commission of a crime of violence, and misconduct in office. Washington, D.C.’s WRC-TV reports that Riley’s trial concluded after only four days of testimony, with jurors taking just a few days to reach a verdict.
The jury had heard testimony about how Kyle was pulled over on suspicion of riding a stolen motorcycle, and how he was handcuffed and placed in the back of Riley’s …read more
Source:: Law Blog