Maryland

Ex-Cop Sentenced to Five Years for Shooting Handcuffed Man

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

A former Maryland officer convicted in a shooting that paralyzed a handcuffed man was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday.

In September 2012, Johnnie 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.

The five-year sentence was mandatory under the use of a handgun charge. Riley must also serve five years of supervised probation and more than 2,000 hours of community service.

Thursday's sentencing hearing was Riley's second; the former District Heights police sergeant had to be subdued by  sheriff's deputies during the first sentencing hearing after he tried to attack the prosecutors.

Riley was also sentenced to 30 days in jail for contempt of court for that attack.

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.

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