Veteran Officer Sentenced for Making Threats
According to a recent report on nbclosangeles.com, a former Los Angeles police officer was sentenced to over four years in state prison for Penal Code 422 criminal threats charges. The officer, a 39-year-old, 10-year veteran of the LAPD was the recipient of numerous commendations during his tenure with the department. However, while the officer was off-duty, he brandished his gun at the Redondo Beach Pier, threatening another man by pointing the weapon at the man’s head.
Under California law, a person commits Penal Code 422 criminal threats when he communicates a threat of serious harm to another person, intending to put the person in fear, and the person does reasonably become in sustained fear. The offense may be charged as a misdemeanor or felony.
The judge ruled that the sentencing was fair, given the former officer’s history. However, according to the officer’s attorney, this incident should have warranted a probationary sentence, not prison time. In lieu of circumstances, specifically that the officer has since been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is currently on medication to correct his behavior, and has stopped drinking alcohol, it was believed by defense counsel that the man is no longer any sort of threat to society, and therefore should not be confined to a prison cell as a result.
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