Man Under House Arrest After Attempted Murder of Police

A man that was implicated in a Christmas Eve shootout at a mall is now under house arrest. While they may sound odd, the man took a bullet to the head and is still recovering, according to Palm Beach police.

Police and the gunman exchanged a hail of bullets in a mall that ended up taking the life of a K-9 tactical animal. He faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder against a police officer. If he is found guilty on either count, he will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Florida is among those states that make no distinction between attempted murder and a successfully carried out murder. So long as premeditation was present, the penalty structure for both crimes is the same.

The arrestee will be required to wear an ankle monitor and someone will need to check in with him on a monthly basis. It is probably quite rare that the defendant is allowed house arrest for a murder trial. However, COVID-19 has caused some problems for local jails and infections spread quickly therein. The chances of a recently-discharged surgical patient with an open head wound falling ill with the virus were probably more than the state was willing to risk. They want to see him tried and convicted, not to die of a virus in the county while awaiting trial.

Lethal force against a police dog

If you use lethal force against a police dog and the dog dies as a result of that lethal force, you are facing the same basic penalty structure as someone who committed DUI manslaughter or vehicular homicide. In this case, the defendant is facing a formal charge of committing an offense against a police dog that results in great bodily harm or death. It is considered a second-degree felony under the law and is punishable by a maximum of 15 years. In most cases, judges will be required to establish mandatory minimum sentences of at least 10 years. The dog was named Cigo and the sheriff’s office held a memorial service in his honor. He was a three-year-old German Shepherd. Police had unleashed the dog on the assailant.

Police track suspects to the mall

Police were reportedly trailing two suspects to the mall on Christmas Eve. Police say that they were involved in a robbery and an attempted murder incident earlier that month. A 21-year-old man was arrested and pleaded guilty to robbery and attempted murder and is currently serving a six-year sentence.

The Sheriff’s Department was grilled for flushing the suspects into a crowded mall on one of the busiest shopping days of the year but said they had the area protected. They insisted they wanted the men off the streets because they were very dangerous people.

Talk to a West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Attorney

If you’re facing charges related to the death of a police officer or any other major crime, call the West Palm Beach criminal attorneys at The Skier Law Firm, P.A. today to discuss your situation in more detail, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.

Resource:

palmbeachpost.com/story/news/crime/2021/09/22/state-charge-man-wellington-mall-shootout-where-pbso-k-9-cigo-died/5813508001/

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