A man resident in Texas, the United States has been sentenced to 70 years in prison for spitting at Lubbock police officers during an arrest last May.
The New York Post said the 36-year-old Larry Pearson was picked up by policemen on domestic violence charges after he allegedly hit a woman several times in the face.
The report also revealed that Pearson left his victim with “multiple visible injuries.”
Pearson allegedly got angry when officers did not arrest the victim, and started kicking the door of the police cruiser.
When two police officers opened the door to demand he stop, Pearson spat at them and kept doing so even after he got to the Lubbock County Detention Center, New York Post said.
Jurors later found him guilty of two counts of harassment of a public servant.
During the trial’s closing arguments, prosecutor Jessica Gorman asked the jury to “send a message” to both the suspect and society with its sentencing.
Pearson had prior convictions for aggravated robbery and family violence, Gorman said. As a result, he faced a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Pearson had a number of prior arrests, and faced a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.
“If you’re going to live the life of crime, you’re going to do that among other criminals [in prison],” Gorman told the court.
Jim Shaw, Pearson’s defense attorney, told jurors that the sentencing was for a “simple misdemeanor” that got out of control.
“You’re not going to get 70 years for something like this when you’ve never been in trouble before,” Gorman said. (Vanguard)
