By Henry Pierson Curtis
Orlando Sentinel
KISSIMMEE — A St. Cloud man who tried to kill two cops in 2011 with an AK-47 was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation and psychiatric treatment.
More than 30 law enforcement officers — most of them from the St. Cloud Police Department — packed an Osceola County courtroom Friday for the sentencing.They were there to stand in solidarity with St. Cloud Detective Clinton Wise and Officer Spencer Endsley who narrowly escaped death on Nov. 21, 2011 when David Penney opened fire on them.
Police officers and deputies across Osceola County were upset that the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office negotiated a plea bargain with Penney, dropping attempted murder and all gun-related charges with mandatory minimum sentences under the state’s 10-20-Life law. However, details disclosed at Friday’s hearing by Penney’s defense about his recently diagnosed history of autism explained much about why State Attorney Jeffrey Ashton avoided trial.
Full Story: 20 years in prison for St. Cloud man who tried to kill cops with AK-47