The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS (AP) - A St. Louis man was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for his role in an accident that killed a city police officer and badly injured the officer’s partner.
Deon Hampton, 20, was convicted earlier this year only of resisting arrest. A hung jury failed to convict Hampton of murder.
Prosecutors have said they will retry Hampton on the murder charge, which they said was filed because Hampton was committing a felony when the officer died.
Officer Michael Barwick, 27, died on Aug. 29, 2002, after his patrol car collided with a van during a pursuit of a stolen car allegedly driven by Hampton. The fiery accident also seriously injured Barwick’s partner, Jenna Christian, 24. Two other officers were hurt as they pulled their colleagues from the wreckage.
Christian testified during Hampton’s trial that she didn’t recall either chasing a stolen car or crashing in the police cruiser. A police fingerprint expert testified Hampton’s prints were only on the outside of the stolen vehicle, not the inside.
But another witness testified Hampton was the driver. Stepphion Sutton, 20, told the jury he was a passenger in the stolen car while Hampton was driving.
Last year, Sutton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the officer’s death.
There also was conflicting testimony on whether the police cruiser had on flashing lights during the chase.
Police Chief Joe Mokwa has said the teenagers were part of a gang that stole more than 30 cars - all Chryslers - mostly from St. Louis County, then took them to the city’s north side. There, the teens would charge $50 for use of the stolen cars.