Maryland

Former Maryland Cop Convicted in Shooting Tries to Attack Prosecutors at Sentencing, Officials Say

Former officer who was previously convicted in a shooting tried to attack prosecutors at his sentencing

A former Maryland officer who was previously convicted in a shooting that paralyzed a handcuffed man tried to attack prosecutors at his sentencing, delaying the proceeding until October, officials said.

Sheriff's deputies in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County had to subdue former District Heights Police Sgt. Johnnie Riley, 44, at the Tuesday hearing before clearing the courtroom, according to Prince George's County State's Attorney's office.

Allen Wolfe, Riley's Baltimore attorney, declined to characterize his client's actions but said they came after a prosecutor said Riley should be held to a higher standard because of his service for the military in Iraq and his position as an officer.

"He's seen -- over the last two years -- his life unravel in what is undisputedly an action he took on a fleeing felon who had already been arrested and was escaping,'' Wolfe said Wednesday. "It became too much after two years.''

Riley's sentencing was rescheduled for Oct. 15. A jury convicted him in June of assault, using a handgun during a violent crime and misconduct in office.

Wolfe said Riley faces a minimum of five years in prison but that his most serious conviction, first-degree assault, carries a maximum of 25 years.

Prosecutors say that in September 2012, Riley shot a handcuffed man, identified as Kalvin Kyle, in the back after Kyle got out of a police cruiser and began to run away.

Kyle was left paralyzed from the waist down. Riley had earlier pulled Kyle on suspicion of driving a stolen motorcycle.

Riley was convicted in July 2014 of first- and second-degree assault, use of a handgun during the commission of a crime of violence, and misconduct in officer.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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