CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) - A former security guard in Virginia has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting a man who had been playing a video game in his minivan.
The Virginian-Pilot reported Monday that Chesapeake Circuit Court Judge John Brown followed a jury’s recommendation when he sentenced 24-year-old Johnathan Cromwell. He could have faced up to 43 years after being found guilty of second-degree murder and related charges.
Authorities say 60-year-old Jiansheng Chen was in a minivan in a parking lot and playing “Pokemon Go” when he was confronted and shot by Cromwell.
Cromwell said the vehicle was moving and he opened fire, and his lawyer argued he acted in self-defense. But prosecutors said broken glass found under the van’s shot-out windows disproved Cromwell’s claim.
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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
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