PHOENIX (AP) - The governor is considering clemency for a former Phoenix police officer convicted in a fatal on-duty shooting in 2010.
The Arizona Board of Executive Clemency recommended in December that the governor reduce Richard Chrisman’s sentence to time served, the Arizona Capitol Times reported .
Chrisman was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2013 after he was convicted of manslaughter and aggravated assault in the death of 29-year-old Daniel Rodriguez.
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has until March 27 to decide whether to grant the clemency request. Ducey spokesman Patrick Ptak said in an email Friday that the request is being carefully reviewed.
Chrisman killed Rodriguez while responding to a domestic violence call at a trailer in south Phoenix.
Rodriguez’s mother Elvira Fernandez had called police, believing her son was violent at the time and possibly damaging her property. Chrisman shot Rodriguez’s dog, claiming it was a threat. Chrisman claimed Rodriguez, who was unarmed, then lunged at him.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office opposed clemency.
“Chrisman’s killing of Rodriguez is made more egregious because he was an on-duty police officer when he shot a citizen he was sworn to protect,” Deputy County Attorney Juan Martinez wrote.
In its recommendation to the governor, the clemency board noted support from Judge Warren Granville, who sentenced Chrisman. Granville’s letter stated he would have imposed a lesser sentence if possible.
“While it is tragic that the victim lost his life as a result of Mr. Chrisman’s actions, those actions were caused by a good faith subjective belief of justification that was deemed not reasonable objectively,” Granville wrote.
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Information from: Arizona Capitol Times, http://www.arizonacapitoltimes.com
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