Days before his term ends, Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pardoned a former Fairfax County police officer convicted of fatally shooting an unarmed man accused of stealing sunglasses at a mall.
According to A A newly released reportformer Sgt. Wesley Shiflett received an absolute pardon on January 15 from Yongkin. The pardon comes amid a national debate about legal protection for law enforcement officers, And when? Use of forceincluding deadly force, is justified.
Less than a year ago, Youngkin granted clemency to Shiflett in the case, overturning his ruling Imprisonment for three years.
“The deadly force used by Sergeant Wesley Gonzalez Shifflett on February 22, 2023, was lawful and consistent with Department policy and training,” Youngkin wrote in his pardon.
Shiflett was convicted in 2024 of reckless use of a firearm in the killing of Timothy McCray Johnson in northern Virginia, although he was acquitted of manslaughter. The former sergeant chased Johnson out of the mall parking lot and into a heavily wooded area.
the Body camera video During his trial, Shifflett was shown yelling “Get on the ground,” then fired two shots at Johnson two seconds later. After the shots were fired, Shifflett immediately shouted, “Get over it,” and told the other officers that he saw Johnson put his hand in his waistband. During the trial, Shiflett testified that his “motor functions were working more quickly than I could tell.”
Shortly after, Johnson can be heard saying in body camera videos: “I’m not trying to achieve anything. I don’t have anything.”
Yongqin based his pardon on A A report issued by the department In April, he concluded that Shiflett’s actions were objectively reasonable because he believed Johnson “posed a significant threat of death or serious injury to him when he used deadly force.”
Johnson’s mother, Melissa, rejected Youngkin’s involvement in the case last year, when he first reduced Shifflett’s sentence.
He asked: “Why do we now find it necessary to vacate the jury’s verdict or not consider it, and believe that this fair and respected judge did not rule within the parameters that were given to him?” I asked at the time.
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Olivia Diaz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America It is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.